Oopsie...underreporting crimes on campus.

[KD5NRH]

A few months ago when the campus carry bill was up in the Texas legislature, I used Clery Act disclosures from the local university to refute some anti's claims that the campus is safer than the rest of the town. Yesterday, the paper ran a headline story that the university has been fined $137,500 for underreporting crimes on campus.

Looks like three rapes in 2006, 39 burglaries, and 28 drug arrests in 2005-2007 didn't get reported properly. No word on robberies or non-sexual assaults, but IIRC, just adding those three rapes to '06 makes the campus four times more dangerous for women than the rest of the city.

Making matters even more interesting, it looks like they were at least partly busted by their own student newspaper.

[karl]

Is that a statewide statistic or specific to a certain university?

[ELB]

Interesting, thanks for bringing this up. I was unaware of the Clery Act until now.

Which university are you referring to?

[Zee]

I can see wanting to blow your own horn and all but distorting the actual safety stats of a school seems almost criminal. Its tough to make a reasonable decision about something when the info is all twisted.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Under-reporting under the Clery Act is a major problem and one that was brought up during the 2009 Texas Legislative Session. A former summer employee of ours is a UT/Austin student and she knew of a handful of violent crimes that were not listed.

Private schools tried desperately to be exempt from the reporting requirements of Clery, but they failed. The Act applies to any school that takes federal money directly or indirectly such as federal scholarships. If campuses are as safe as the opponents of the campus-carry bills claimed, one must wonder why schools fought against Clery like proverbial tigers and why they find it necessary to under report crimes

Chas.

[CompVest]

[Excaliber]

Well said, Charles!

[Oldgringo]

Good point, Mr Cotton. Again, is this a specific school or is it all of 'em?

[KD5NRH]

Good point, Mr Cotton. Again, is this a specific school or is it all of 'em?

The three unreported rapes I mentioned were specific to Tarleton State University. I'd post the original stats, but the online version seems to have disappeared since the article came out.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Good point, Mr Cotton. Again, is this a specific school or is it all of 'em?

Under reporting is a nationwide problem, but the events of which I am aware occurred at the University of Houston and UT/Austin.

Chas.