Crime reported inaccurately; students concerned
By: Anthony Cesarini
Issue date: 1/20/06 Section: News
Originally published: 1/20/06 at 8:27 AM EST
Last update: 1/20/06 at 8:43 AM EST
Originally published: 1/20/06 at 8:27 AM EST
Last update: 1/20/06 at 8:43 AM EST
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When students were informed about the article and its contents, the response was overwhelming.
"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Drexel isn't telling everything. It doesn't look good for us. We're in West Philly - it comes with the territory," said James Fasoline, a pre-junior majoring in information systems.
"I remember a stabbing in the community garden a few years ago that was called an isolated off-campus incident," said Joe Babiasz, a pre-junior majoring in electrical engineering. "Drexel should take full responsibility for our safety; 75 percent of us are commuters, and a lot of us live around the University."
"These low numbers may make us look good, but it also looks like we're not telling everything. Penn's numbers may look bad, but at least you know they're telling you everything," said Matt Walton, a freshman majoring in information systems.
"This doesn't sit well with me. There could be a stabbing right across the block from campus and it wouldn't get reported. That's just ridiculous. The numbers are so unrealistic," said Ryan Stirling, a pre-junior majoring in mechanical engineering. "I'm sick of hearing 'isolated off-campus incident.'"
Most students contacted by The Triangle felt that Public Safety should change their reporting to include all crime that occurs on or near campus and affects Drexel students.
The Clery Act is named after Jeanne Clery, who was sexually assaulted and murdered April 5, 1986, as a freshman at Lehigh University. Her parents, Howard and Connie, discovered after their daughter's death that there had been 38 unreported violent crimes in the three years prior to the murder. President George H. W. Bush signed the Clery Act into law as the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990. It was later amended and coined the Clery Act in 1998. Universities can lose federal funding or be fined up to $27,500 per infraction if found in violation of Clery Act requirements. The most recent local case was the University of Pennsylvania in 1998. LaSalle University is currently under investigation for the possibility of concealing a rape performed by a member of the basketball team.
"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Drexel isn't telling everything. It doesn't look good for us. We're in West Philly - it comes with the territory," said James Fasoline, a pre-junior majoring in information systems.
"I remember a stabbing in the community garden a few years ago that was called an isolated off-campus incident," said Joe Babiasz, a pre-junior majoring in electrical engineering. "Drexel should take full responsibility for our safety; 75 percent of us are commuters, and a lot of us live around the University."
"These low numbers may make us look good, but it also looks like we're not telling everything. Penn's numbers may look bad, but at least you know they're telling you everything," said Matt Walton, a freshman majoring in information systems.
"This doesn't sit well with me. There could be a stabbing right across the block from campus and it wouldn't get reported. That's just ridiculous. The numbers are so unrealistic," said Ryan Stirling, a pre-junior majoring in mechanical engineering. "I'm sick of hearing 'isolated off-campus incident.'"
Most students contacted by The Triangle felt that Public Safety should change their reporting to include all crime that occurs on or near campus and affects Drexel students.
The Clery Act is named after Jeanne Clery, who was sexually assaulted and murdered April 5, 1986, as a freshman at Lehigh University. Her parents, Howard and Connie, discovered after their daughter's death that there had been 38 unreported violent crimes in the three years prior to the murder. President George H. W. Bush signed the Clery Act into law as the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990. It was later amended and coined the Clery Act in 1998. Universities can lose federal funding or be fined up to $27,500 per infraction if found in violation of Clery Act requirements. The most recent local case was the University of Pennsylvania in 1998. LaSalle University is currently under investigation for the possibility of concealing a rape performed by a member of the basketball team.
is a member of the 
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posted 1/20/06 @ 10:27 AM EST
for students looking for more accurate crime statistics go to http://www.cml.upenn.edu/nis/ and click on the CrimeBase application. it may take a a little time to learn it, but it's a very good tool. (Continued…)