As college students, sometimes we are not afraid of something happening to us on campus, but still, we must be aware of our surroundings. We also need to stay informed about what crimes are happening on and around campus.

College is supposed to be a safe space, but the University of New Haven’s police department released their  2018 Annual Fire Safety Report, and it is a reminder that vigilance is important on campus.

Besides sex, drugs, and alcohol, crime rates as mentioned at this post are an issue on most campuses.

Burglary, motor vehicle theft and forcible sex offense are the top three crimes reported the most on college campuses. Forty-five percent are burglaries, 29 percent are forcible sex offenses, and 12 percent are motor vehicle thefts.  

On the university’s campus, the highest reported crime in 2017 was liquor violations, at 336. Drug violations were the second-highest reported incident, with 37. Although there is no trend for crime rates, it is important to be safe while on and near campus.

Some ways students can stay safe on campus is knowing where the police department is, and watching their surroundings when getting into their cars, especially at night. Know the crimes that occur in your city, and learn how to defend yourself. Another way is to always let a friend know where you’re going if it’s late at night.

These reports can be scary, and after reading them we can become fearful that something may happen to us. But, it is important to remember that these crimes are preventable.