NCJ Number
158317
Journal
Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 25 Issue: 5 Dated: (September- October 1995) Pages: 2,4,6,15
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A study of crime and fear of crime at Simon Fraser University (SFU), a single-structure campus with approximately 20,000 students, faculty, and staff in Vancouver, Canada, revealed that although crime rates were relatively low, fear of crime is prevalent.
Abstract
The SFU study was published in 1994. Results revealed that only 14 percent of the student participants indicated that they had been victimized by assault, sexual assault, theft from vehicles, vandalism, racist remarks, or other offenses. Although 98 percent of students reported feeling safe on campus during the day, one-third felt unsafe at night. The most frequent explanations for considering an area unsafe were a lack of people, bad lighting, isolation, and too many hiding places. Measures taken to improve safety have included the addition of a fulltime personal security coordinator, the establishment of a 24-hour safe study area, upgraded lighting, and modification of landscape design to increase visibility and reduce locations of opportunity. The SFU experience indicates that other universities can undertake a similar process to identify crime incidents, victimization, and fear and address campus security problems. Photographs and list of steps for crime analysis and crime prevention strategies