NCJ Number
215468
Journal
Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2006 Pages: 118-136
Date Published
April 2006
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study assessed constituents’ perceptions of their personal safety on an urban college campus in order to illustrate how incorporating community input into the campus crime prevention planning could enhance campus security.
Abstract
The analysis showed how a more comprehensive college campus crime control strategy could be developed by merging physical facilities data with stakeholder input. Facilities of all types have adopted the physical security survey as the gold standard of crime prevention analysis and planning. The goal of these surveys is to identify and analyze all vulnerabilities in the physical environment. They are critiqued as subjective accounts based on the prior experience of the individual conducting the survey. The authors argue that a more comprehensive security plan can be developed by merging the physical facilities assessment with data concerning crime and fear of crime from the community. The current research involved a case study at an urban university. A physical security survey was conducted on the campus by a private security firm prior to a survey of a sample of the college community. The survey involved a random sample of campus community members selected by the Office of Student Services that included 181 resident and commuter students, 92 full- and part-time faculty and administration, 71 staff members, and 72 continuing education students. Approximately two-thirds of respondents reported that campus safety was not a concern and fewer than 20 percent reported feeling unsafe walking the campus alone. Respondents also reported satisfaction with the way security was handled on campus. The most common issue discussed by respondents was the lack of police presence on campus. Tables, references