UML Campus Safety Survey

1. UML Campus Safety Survey Chris Harris & Alison Cares Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology

2. Context – High Risk Age Group

3. What We Know (Generally) • Gender Differences in Violent Victimization • Male > Female • Female students < Female non-students • Male students = Male non-students • Victimization Characteristics • Almost all victimizations off-campus • Most at night (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.) • Most perpetrators are strangers

4. What We Know (Generally) • Reporting • Most violent victimization go unreported to police • College Students < Non-Students • College Students = low reporting rates

5. What We Know (Specifically)

6. What We Wanted to Know Reality of Crime Fear of Crime Behavior

7. What We Wanted to Know Estimates of student victimization Gauge perceptions of safety and fear of victimization on campus Evaluate behavior related to victimization and fear of crime Measure knowledge and perceptions of campus support services

8. About the Survey • Funding provided by UMass President’s Office • Web-based survey April of 2008 • Students who were on campus students in Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 • Students invited via email with a web link • Half of students also were mailed a letter • 26% response rate = 1670 Respondents

11. Victimizations UML Campus Safety Survey

12. N=1670

13. Gender Differences in Victimization • Violent Victimization • Physical Assault: Men > Women • Sexual Assault: Women > Men • Stalking: Women > Men • Threats of Physical Harm: No Gender Difference • Property Victimization • No Gender Differences

15. Reporting of Victimization

16. Perceptions Of Crime & Victimizations UML Campus Safety Survey

17. Perceptions of Safety

18. Feelings of Safety at Night

19. Fear of Victimization

20. Concern for Future Victimization

21. Behavioral Impact of Fear of Crime

22. Behavioral Impact: Avoidance

23. Behavioral Impact: Defense

24. Services UML Campus Safety Survey

26. Satisfaction With University Services

27. Ratings of Campus Security

28. Opportunities For Prevention & Intervention UML Campus Safety Survey

29. Partying

30. Alcohol or Drugs at Parties

31. Frequency of Drinking

32. Drug Use

33. CONCLUDING REMARKS UML Campus Safety Survey

34. Lessons Learned for Campus What’s working: • Vast majority of students feel safe on campus and do not worry about victimization • Most students are satisfied with university services when they use them • Knowledge of some services is very high

35. Lessons Learned for Campus What needs improvement: Students feel unsafe outdoors, feel lighting is inadequate, and feel very vulnerable traveling (or waiting to travel) between campuses Students don’t know about programs to assist them if they worry about crime, like self defense classes and property engraving

36. Where We Are Going • Detailed look at victimization incidents • Bystanders • Support seeking • Help seeking • Victim versus Non-Victim • Fear of Victimization & Perceptions of Safety • Behavioral • Male versus Female

37. Thanks! Questions?