Burglary rate drops, arson increases at Kent State
Kent State University saw an increase in arson, but a decrease in burglaries for on-campus properties liquor and drug violations in 2013, according to its campus crime and security statistics report released Tuesday.
A few statistics have increased or decreased significantly from 2011 to 2013, according to the report, which includes the police and fire statistics for the last three years.
The university is required to release these through the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, which requires universities that receive federal funding to publish information on crimes that occur on and around campus property. The law was enacted in 1990, according to the report.
On-campus burglary rates dropped from 17 reports in 2011 down to five reports in 2013.
Arson in the residence halls jumped from one report in 2011 up to 15 reports total in 2013.
On-campus liquor law and drug abuse violations both have fallen in number for the past three years. In 2011, the number of arrests for liquor law violations hit 356 and in 2013 dropped to 202. For drug abuse violations, the number of arrests fell from 169 in 2011 to 134 in 2013, according to the report.
Many of the violations occur within the residence halls. Seven out of the eight forcible sex offenses for 2013 came from the residences halls.
The Office of Student Conduct Referrals numbers for liquor law violations fluctuated between 2011 and 2013. The violations jumped from 80 in 2011 to 405 in 2012, and then fell to 109 in 2013, according to the report.
“All of our incidents are by referral basis, with respect to alcohol violations,” said Todd Kamenash, assistant dean of students and director of student conduct. “We get them referred to us by our police, by Kent city police occasionally and by residence services.”
Changes in the statistics can correlate with environmental factors such as dangerous house parties or the accessibility of certain beverages.
“I think it is a function of the student population and where they’re going and how it’s being addressed by our local agency as police and residence services,” said Kamenash.
“Halloween is coming up and we understand that we’re probably going to get several more referrals around those two weekends,” he said.
Check kentstater.com on Friday for a more in-depth look into the changes in the Kent State campus crime statistics.
Contact Carolyn Pippin at [email protected].