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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for campus crime
25 results foundAuthor: Oklahoma. Campus Life and Safety Security Task Force Title: CLASS, Campus Life and Safety and Security Task Force: Final Report Summary: On April 16, 2007, the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., was the scene of a horrifying massacre. A single shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people and wounded many more before committing suicide. Cho, a senior student at Virginia Tech, had been diagnosed with and treated for a severe anxiety disorder beginning in middle school and continued receiving therapy and special education support until his junior year of high school. During his college career, Cho had been accused of stalking two female students, was declared mentally ill by a Virginia special justice and had been asked to seek counseling by at least one professor. Unfortunately, these individual warning signs were not tracked and dealt with in a way that provided Cho with the help he needed and, in turn, possibly prevented the shootings. In addition, concerns were raised about the institution's notification process and response to the shootings. In an effort to evaluate and improve the ability of Oklahoma higher education and career technology center campuses to better handle a situation such as the Virginia Tech incident, Gov. Brad Henry issued Executive Order 2007-17 on April 25 (subsequently amended on April 27) establishing the Campus Life and Safety and Security Task Force, otherwise known as the CLASS Task Force. Henry appointed Dr. Glen D. Johnson, chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, as chair of the task force and Dr. Phil Berkenbile, director of the Department of Career and Technology Education, as vice-chair. Thirteen additional members from Oklahoma higher education, career technology education, public safety and health services were appointed as stated in the order. The Executive Order states that the purpose of the task force is threefold: 1. To review and evaluate campus safety and security plans already in place. 2. To determine what modifications, if any, are necessary to prevent crises and enhance crisis response on campuses. 3. To research methods for recognizing students in need and delivering to them appropriate services, such as counseling, substance abuse treatment and mental health management. The order also enables the task force to make preliminary recommendations to campus personnel of specific measures to better protect campuses and improve emergency response. Discussions revealed five major areas of focus - Laws and Policies, Counseling, Response, Notification and Funding - and subcommittees were formed to explore each area. Each subcommittee conducted specific research and has submitted a report that assesses the current condition of its respective area of concern and makes recommendations for improvement. Those subcommittee reports comprise Section V of this document. As part of the research done by the task force, a two-part self-assessment survey was sent to each campus to gather information about crisis preparedness and availability of counseling services. A summary of the survey findings is included in Section IV of this report. . Details: Oklahoma City, Okalahoma: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, 2008. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2018 at: https://www.okhighered.org/class/docs/final-report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: https://www.okhighered.org/class/docs/final-report.pdf Shelf Number: 116656 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus SecurityColleges and UniversitiesSecurity |
Author: Wisconsin. Governor's Task Force on Campus Safety Title: Final Report Summary: This report offers a set of best practice criteria for campuses to consider when reviewing current plans or adopting new safety practices and procedures. The criteria fall into four categories: prevention and preparedness, intervention, response and post-event activities. In each category, examples from campuses around the state and nation are used to illustrate how the recommended criteria could be used in this field. Details: Madison, WI: Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance, 2007. 86p. Source: Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118089 Keywords: Campus Crime |
Author: Burke, Kimberly Title: Issues in Illinois College Campus Safety: History & Development of Campus Safety Planning Summary: Incidents of extreme violence on and around college campuses, such as the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, are rare. However, such events can have devastating and long-lasting consequences for students, faculty, and family members. While violent acts on campuses typically receive extensive media coverage, alcohol and drug violations, rather than violent crime, are the most prevalent types of offenses on college campuses. Nonetheless, college administrators and campus law enforcement must take threats of extreme violence seriously and do everything they can to improve the safety and security of students, faculty, and staff on campuses. The purpose of this report is to identify the incidents that inspired federal and state legislative changes regarding campus safety, to trace the history of this legislation, and to identify steps taken to ensure that institutions of higher education are safe learning environments for faculty, staff, students, and visitors. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2010. 26p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118767 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus SafetySchool CrimeSchool SafetySchool Violence |
Author: Major Cities Chiefs Association Title: Campus Security Guidelines: Recommended Operational Policies for Local and Campus Law Enforcement Agencies Summary: This report provides law enforcement with recommendated guidelines to improve the ongoing relationships with campus public safety and major city police departments. The Campus Security Guidelines are organized in four sections. The first section on formal policies and agreements provides guidelines for law enforcement to encourage the development of written policies and formal agreements between local and campus law enforcement departments. The second section presents guidelines to assist local and campus law enforcement in preventing and preparing for critical incidents on campus. The third section recommends actions law enforcement should take to carry out a coordinated response with multiple agencies. Finally, the last section provides law enforcement with guidelines to assist with the continued response and recovery period after the critical incident. By covering all facets of the relationship between local and campus law enforcement, it is hoped that this document can be of benefit before, during, and after a critical incident. Details: Columbia, MD: Major Cities Chiefs Association, 2009. 152p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119426 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus PoliceCrime SecuritySchool CrimeSchool Violence |
Author: National Association of College Title: Results of the National Campus Safety and Security Project Survey Summary: This report summarizes the results from a survey of NACUBO members about key aspects of the all-hazards campus safety and security environment. In late August 2008, the survey was sent electronically to primary representatives at the 2,203 colleges and universities that were members of NACUBO at that time. 342 colleges and universities responded to the survey—a response rate of 16 percent. Among responding colleges, 35 percent were public four-year institutions, 18 percent were public two-year institutions, and 46 percent were private nonprofit (independent) four-year institutions. The survey was designed to cover the following nine areas: Emergency Preparedness; Ability to Respond to all Threats; Preventive Measures; Physical Infrastructure; Communication and Systems Infrastructure; Strategies for Behavioral/Mental Health Issues; Business Continuity Issues; Funding or Budget Issues; and Emergency Management. This report presents the results of the survey. Details: Washington, DC: National Association of College and University Business Officers, 2009. 38p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 9, 2010 at http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/Initiatives/CSSPSurveyResults.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/Initiatives/CSSPSurveyResults.pdf Shelf Number: 115829 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus SafetyEmergency Preparedness, SchoolsSchool CrimeSchool Safety |
Author: Cissner, Amanda B. Title: Evaluating the Mentors in Violence Prevention Program: Preventing Gender Violence on a College Campus Summary: This report presents findings from a two-year evaluation of a gender violence prevention program known as Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP). The program was developed in 1993 at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and, in an earlier evaluation, was found to produce significant positive changes in attitudes and predicted behaviors among high school age youth. The program is based on a peer leadership model, targeting not only potential perpetrators and victims, but also seeking to empower those who might otherwise be passive bystanders to potentially violent situations. The program relies on adult staff to train youth participants (“Peer Educators”), who in turn facilitate workshops attended by larger numbers of their peers (“Workshop Participants”). This study, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Education, examines the replication of the MVP program with college fraternity and sorority members at Syracuse University. Accordingly, this study seeks to document whether the program is effective when implemented by individuals other than the original Boston-based staff, as well as whether the program can be effectively adapted for a college age population. The study includes both process and impact evaluations. The former is based on a combination of planning meeting and training session observations; interviews with program staff; and participant focus groups. The impact evaluation utilizes a quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test survey design to measure change in the attitudes and predicted behaviors of 424 program participants, including 103 Peer Educators and 321 Workshop Participants. In addition, 396 surveys were completed by a comparison group, composed of Syracuse University fraternity and sorority members who did not participate in the program. Data provided by Syracuse University was used to estimate program impact on official reports of violence. The impact evaluation was designed to test five hypotheses: 1. Students will have less sexist attitudes after completing the MVP program. 2. Students will have an increased sense of self-efficacy—a sense that they can act to prevent gender violence—after completing the MVP program. 3. Students will attribute less sexist attitudes to their peers after completing the MVP program. 4. The impact of the MVP curriculum will be greater among Peer Educators, who receive a more intensive version of the curriculum, than among Workshop Participants. 5. Due to the limited population targeted by the MVP program, no impact is anticipated on the overall incidence of reported violence on the Syracuse University campus. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2009. 78p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 10, 2010 at http://www.courtinnovation.org/_uploads/documents/MVP_evaluation.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/_uploads/documents/MVP_evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 119587 Keywords: Campus CrimeCrime PreventionDate RapeDating ViolenceGender ViolenceMentoringSexual Assault, College CampusesViolence Against WomenViolent Crime |
Author: Wada, James Christopher Title: Betwixt and Between: The Perceived Legitimacy of Campus Police Summary: Historically, campus police (CP) have evolved similar to "mainstream" police. However, the identity of CP has been unclear. First, CP may not be accepted by university administration because they are "cops," not part of academia. Second, students and other law enforcement agencies may not perceive CP as “cops" because they are based in a university system. The legitimacy of police officers is crucial for public support and cooperation; without it, a police officer's effort to combat crime and maintain order is jeopardized. Although CP marginalization has been discussed in the literature, there are no empirical studies of CP legitimacy. To explore the legitimacy of CP, CP officers from a doctoral extensive land grant institution were interviewed. The analysis of interviews reflected three salient perceptions of CP: (1) In many instances the community did not regard CP as sworn police officers; (2) the public stereotypes CP; and (3) CP have to “sell” their profession to the public. Overall, the interviews indicated that CP perceive some level of marginalization by the public. To confirm the perceptions of CP, a convenience sample of 593 undergraduate students were surveyed. The surveys were used to compare student perceptions of legitimacy between CP and municipal police (MP) at the department and individual officer levels. Results of the surveys indicated that students have lower perceived levels of legitimacy for CP officers compared to MP officers (p=.01). Similarly, students have lower perceived levels of legitimacy for the CP department compared to the MP department (p=.05). Consequently, it appears that the perceptions of CP were justified. Survey results indicated that students do, indeed, perceive CP as a less legitimate law enforcement authority compared to their "mainstream" counterpart. Victor Turner’s theory of liminality was used to explain CP marginalization. Turner describes liminality as a transitional period between two social standings. However, in some instances, a person or group may never transition out of that liminal period. These unfortunate few are consider "permanently" liminal. The analysis of CP interviews and student surveys indicated that CP appear to be "permanently" liminal, trapped in an ambiguous state, "betwixt and between" two social standings. Details: Pullman, WA: Washington State University, 2007. 199p. (Thesis) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2010 at: http://www.dissertations.wsu.edu/Dissertations/Summer2007/j_wada_072307.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.dissertations.wsu.edu/Dissertations/Summer2007/j_wada_072307.pdf Shelf Number: 117624 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus PoliceColleges and Universities |
Author: Johnson, Matthew Title: Personal Victimization of College Students Summary: The purpose of this study was to explore aspects of personal victimization among college students in Texas. Findings were reported and discussed regarding the extent of personal victimization, factors increasing or decreasing the likelihood of personal victimization, and situational issues pertaining to the consequences of being victimized. Some of the more noteworthy findings are: Approximately 26% of respondents reported being a personal crime victim within the past two years; The percentage of females experiencing personal victimization was substantially higher than the percentage for males. Further investigation revealed that the measures of stalking and sexual assault victimization accounted for the overall higher rate for females; Respondents living with a roommate or roommates were much more likely to be victims compared to respondents living alone; Respondents who grew up in a household headed by only the biological father and those raised primarily by their grandparents were significantly more likely to report being a victim compared to all other categories; Exposure to and involvement in violence is associated with personal victimization. Respondents experiencing violence between parents as children and respondents engaging in violent/personal crime were significantly more likely to be victims of personal crime compared to other respondents; Respondents who spent more time taking safety precautions to prevent victimization were more likely to have been victimized compared to those spending less time doing such things; Respondents who were personal crime victims had higher levels of fear of victimization compared to non-victims; and Personal crime victims reported spending more time partying than non-victims. Details: Huntsville, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, Criminal Justice Center, Sam Houston State University, 2009. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2010 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/CSVictimizationFinal.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/CSVictimizationFinal.pdf Shelf Number: 119862 Keywords: Campus CrimeColleges and UniversitiesSexual AssaultStalkingVictimization SurveysVictims of Crime |
Author: Celik, Ishak Title: Crime Prevention Theory and Practice: An Analysis of Thefts From Vehicles at the Main Campus of the University of Cincinnati in 2006 Summary: This study applies crime prevention theories to develop possible solutions for a specific type of crime - thefts from motor vehicles- at the main campus of the University of Cincinnati (UC) in 2006. Part I of this study presents a review of the past crime prevention research. Crime prevention theories are discussed in depth throughout the first seven chapters. In Part II, a specific crime -thefts from vehicles is analyzed using crime prevention theories to develop solutions. Possible approaches to reducing thefts from autos at UC are offered in light of results. Details: Cincinnati: University of Cincinnati, 2007. 116p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 7, 2010 at: http://www.isref.org/raporlar/Demonstration%20Project%20_%20Ishak%20CELIK.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.isref.org/raporlar/Demonstration%20Project%20_%20Ishak%20CELIK.pdf Shelf Number: 120406 Keywords: Campus CrimeCrime PreventionThefts from Automobiles |
Author: Buettner, Cynthia K. Title: Parties, Police, and Pandimonium: An Exploratory Study of Mixed-Issue Campus Disturbances Summary: This dissertation explores mixed-issue campus disturbances (celebratory riots), which are defined as a public conflict between aggregates of participants (mostly students) and authorities (usually the police) that did not begin as an issue-based protest gathering. These disturbances have increased in number and intensity over the past two decades, and the severity of the problem, in danger to students and public safety personnel as well as in financial costs, has prompted a variety of untested actions by universities and communities. In an effort to develop a comprehensive description and a conceptual framework for further research, this mixed-method study combined a qualitative examination of student and public accounts of the disturbance that occurred after the 2002 Ohio State University/University of Michigan football game with data obtained through two quantitative surveys; one of administrators representing 31 universities and one of OSU students experiences with off-campus parties. Despite underage drinking laws that prohibit young adults from drinking until age 21, students report, “drinking is the major glue that bonds students.” Student parties (typically in student off-campus housing neighborhoods) provide a place for students to drink with friends (over 70% reported attending an off-campus party at least once a month). Large gatherings of students at parties appear to attract “entrepreneurs,” people (many of whom are not students at the university) intent on precipitating and participating in anti-social (car tipping, arson, etc.) behavior. As police take action to break up the parties before trouble begins or to apprehend the “entrepreneurs,” they often invoke negative responses from the partiers. Bystanders inadvertently affected by large-scale police tactics against partygoers and/or entrepreneurs, often join in the confrontation with the police in response to feeling unjustly harmed. Analysis of student comments indicates that for 18-21 year olds, an underlying issue is the minimum drinking age and police and university tactics used to enforce it. This suggests further research into police training and response to gatherings of students is needed. The prevention efforts employed by universities also require additional thought and research, as student comments suggest that most of the efforts currently in practice are likely to fail. Details: Columbus, OH: Ohio State University, 2004. 221p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2011 at: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi?acc_num=osu1085677892 Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi?acc_num=osu1085677892 Shelf Number: 121205 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus DisturbancesColleges and UniversitiesRiotsSportsUnderage Drinking |
Author: National Center for Victims of Crime, Stalking Resource Center Title: Model Campus Stalking Policy Summary: Stalking behaviors on campus can be difficult to recognize and ameliorate. It is important to remember that stalking is not a one-time event, but a series of incidents that can escalate and lead to violence. And, although much progress had been made in addressing domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault on campus, stalking is neither adequately discussed under many existing campus policies nor addressed in prevention efforts. Given the prevalence of stalking on campuses and its impact on victims, a dedicated effort to address stalking on campus is necessary. National prevalence rates on stalking are startling. The 2009 Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Stalking Victimization in the United States, estimated that 3.4 million people were stalked during a 12-month period. Persons ages 18 to 24 (average age of college students) experienced the highest rates of stalking victimization. Research also shows that stalking is a significant problem on college campuses and these studies find higher rates of stalking victimization among college-aged women than that of the general population. The National College Women Sexual Victimization Study found that over 13 percent of college women had been stalked in the academic year prior to the study. Though stalking behavior is often prolonged and ongoing, the majority of stalking incidents (over 83 percent) were not reported to police or campus law enforcement. Three in ten college women reported being injured emotionally or psychologically from being stalked. It is important to note that stalking often occurs in the context of both dating violence and sexual assault. In one study, researchers found that 43 percent of victims were stalked by a current/ former boyfriend and in 10 percent of incidents, the victim reported that the stalker forced or attempted sexual contact. Other research on sexual assault on college campuses found that perpetrators of these assaults were premeditating, repeat offenders, who used strategies we identify as classic stalking strategies (such as surveillance and information gathering) to select and ensure the vulnerability of their victims. The Stalking Resource Center recommends the development of a collaborative and comprehensive response to stalking on campus that includes creating a campus stalking policy. A university or college stalking policy is one of the best ways to address the significant problem of stalking on campus. A policy demonstrates institutional commitment to the issue and serves as an authoritative mechanism to inform the campus community about this serious crime. A policy on stalking can create guidelines for students, informs the campus body that stalking behaviors will not be tolerated, and can be a proactive measure in guiding student behavior on campus. Details: Washington, DC: National Center for Victims of Crime, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2011 at: http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/AGP.Net/Components/documentViewer/Download.aspxnz?DocumentID=48282 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/AGP.Net/Components/documentViewer/Download.aspxnz?DocumentID=48282 Shelf Number: 121891 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus SafetyColleges and UniversitiesSexual HarassmentStalking (U.S.)Victimization |
Author: Franklin, Cortney A. Title: Risk Factors Associated with Women’s Victimization Summary: The prevalence of victimization on college campuses has been the focus of study for decades. Research indicates that campus crime is relatively problematic, but that sexual assault risk is epidemic. Specifically, prevalence estimates have suggested that 25 percent of college women will experience attempted or completed rape during their college career.1 More recent work has reported incidents rates that range from 15 to 30 percent.2, 3, 4 This study focused on women’s routine activities and levels of self-control as they related to property, personal, and sexual assault victimization. The findings indicated that: • Decreases in self-control produced increases in victimization for college women • The risk of property victimization increased when women spent more time shopping and partying. Additionally, living off campus, participation in drug sales, and being in their early years of college increased property victimization risk among these University women • Personal victimization was not so much related to spending time away from home, but was related to living off campus and participating in drug sales behavior • The risk of sexual assault victimization increased with time spent on campus and time spent partying The results presented in this report provide important implications for crime prevention strategies on Texas college campuses. Details: Huntsville, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, Sam Houston State University, Criminal Justice Center, 2011. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2012 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/Risk%20Factors%20Final%20Print.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/Risk%20Factors%20Final%20Print.pdf Shelf Number: 123557 Keywords: Campus CrimeColleges and UniversitiesFemale VictimsSex CrimesSexual AssaultVictims of Crime |
Author: Woolfenden, Sue Title: Establishing Appropriate Staffing Levels for Campus Public Safety Departments Summary: IACLEA (International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators) engaged Strategic Direction LLC to conduct a study of appropriate campus public safety staffing levels. It conducted a thorough review of existing literature on this topic, convened focus groups to identify staffing issues and considerations, and administered a comprehensive survey of U.S. campus public safety departments. This publication identifies the factors and considerations that impact staffing, including the characteristics of a particular campus, the geographic setting (urban, rural, suburban), number of students, faculty and staff, programs and/or facilities that have security implications, venues and athletic programs that affect campus public safety staffing, and other considerations. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2011. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on February 3, 2012 at http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e061122378_Est-Approp-Stfg-Levels_FIN.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e061122378_Est-Approp-Stfg-Levels_FIN.pdf Shelf Number: 123924 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus SafetyCommunity Oriented PolicingSchool CrimeSchool Safety |
Author: Givens, Aldon Garrett Title: Crime and Punishment: Institutional Sanctions and Other Characteristics that Effect Campus Crime Summary: Crime, has and continues to be, a major issue in the world of institutions of higher education. Colleges and universities are constantly working on ways to prevent and improve crime on their respective campuses, which in most occasions includes collecting and reporting crime data to law enforcement agencies and the general public. By setting up punishment schemes and sanctions to deter criminal activity at their institution, administrators and faculty are looking for better, more efficient ways to influence the behavior or their students and steer them away from a life of criminal activity. By studying existing literature, crime definitions, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report, this thesis attempts to uncover some of the influences of criminal activity and seeks to discuss possible ways to deter such activity. Taking an economic approach to crime, we seek to take an empirical and theoretical path in order to answer the behavioral questions of criminal activity. Using the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report for campuses across the county, as well as a sample of twenty-one colleges and universities in the state of South Carolina, we are able to investigate criminal activity and changes in criminal behavior. This research and analysis might be able to give institutions a better view of how to approach and deter criminal activity among their student body. By knowing how and why prospective offenders react to the changing costs and benefits of committing crime can greatly aid in the process of finding a better, more effective way to deter criminal activity. Details: Clemson, SC: Clemson University, 2010. 66p. Source: Master's Thesis, Economics: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2012 at http://etd.lib.clemson.edu/documents/1306870856/Givens_clemson_0050M_11020.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://etd.lib.clemson.edu/documents/1306870856/Givens_clemson_0050M_11020.pdf Shelf Number: 124434 Keywords: Campus CrimeColleges and UniversitiesCrime StatisticsDeterrence |
Author: Green, Anthony Title: Auditing the Cost of the Virginia Tech Massacre: How Much We Pay When Killers Kill Summary: Five years ago, on April 16, 2007, an English major at Virginia Tech University named Seung-Hui Cho gunned down and killed 32 people, wounded another 17, and then committed suicide as the police closed in on him on that cold, bloody Monday. Since then, 12 more spree killings have claimed the lives of another 90 random victims and wounded another 92 people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time when deranged and well-armed killers suddenly burst upon their daily lives. This carnage includes the very recent killing by Ohio high school student T.J. Lane of three of his fellow students with a gun he took out of his grandfather’s barn, which also wounded two others. Lane’s revolver held 10 bullets, and he fired all 10. As we went to press, still another spree killing took place on a university campus where at least seven were killed and three wounded. This most recent spree killing— the 13th, including Cho’s rampage at Virginia Tech five years ago—occurred at a small religious college near Oakland, California, called Oikos University. What links these tragedies? It’s simple: histories indicating dangerousness combined with the lack of adequate gun control. Cho had a history of mental illness but was able to bypass the national gun purchase background check system and buy two weapons to accomplish his meticulously planned spree killing. He also bought a number of high-capacity magazines, which supersized his weapons. Well-armed, he was able to commit his carnage in no more than 15 minutes, pausing in between his two attacks. The human toll of this, the worst spree killing in recent American history, is incalculable, but there are financial costs that can be calculated. In March 2012 a state court jury in Montgomery County, Virginia, found that Virginia Tech was negligent and awarded $4 million each to two families of victims. The lawsuit was based on the families’ allegations that the lives of the students could have been saved if the university warned the campus community more quickly after the first of the two killings, which took place on the same morning. The damage award may be reduced to $100,000 for each family due to the state’s cap on damages. But as we go to press, the issue of the damages is being argued by the parties before the trial court judge. Further, whether the university appeals the verdict is still an open question. In a completely different legal action, the U.S. Department of Education fined the university $55,000 under the Clery Act, which requires universities to give notice of dangers affecting students. The university appealed, the U.S. Department of Education rejected the appeal, and subsequently a federal administrative court judge in April 2012 ruled in favor of Virginia Tech. These possible courtroom costs, however, pale in comparison to the cost of negligence due to the failure of ambiguous gun control laws alongside the lack of any genuine effort by federal or state officials to clarify the laws so that state police and courts can enforce them to the fullest extent of the law. This lack of enforcement of poorly written laws enables mentally ill people to pass background checks and purchase guns legally even if they have a history indicating dangerousness, including those found by courts to be mentally ill or subject to orders of confinement to a mental health facility. This breakdown in our legal system results in the inestimable loss of life and its horror and consequence. Sadly, we can calculate this cost another way. Another outcome of the lack of gun control is the taxpayer’s bill for a spree killing. In this report we share the findings of our survey of the monetary costs incurred as a result of this murderous rampage at Virginia Tech five years ago. This paper assesses this cost at $48.2 million for the taxpayers of the United States and the commonwealth of Virginia, and for Virginia Tech, a public university. This report also demonstrates how the background-check system, still rife with loopholes, failed to protect American citizens from an armed and dangerous Seung-Hui Cho, costing innocent lives—many of them young ones. The loss of one innocent life to a mentally disturbed shooter should be reason enough to close the gaping holes in the system that permit gun purchases and access to high-capacity magazines that can cause such mayhem. The Virginia Tech tragedy drives this point home in the most dramatic of ways because of the sheer number of deaths and extraordinary financial costs. For this reason, we recommend several commonsense measures designed to curb gun violence without taking a single gun away from the great majority of Americans who have the right to own a weapon. These measures are detailed in main pages of our report, but briefly we recommend: Completing state compliance with requirements to post appropriate mental health records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; Establishing clear reporting guidelines for when and how mental health records are required to be posted in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System so that states can be held accountable for compliance; Requiring a full background check in all gun transactions, including private sales at gun shows and those online, so that dangerous people cannot purchase guns legally in these nontraditional venues; Fully funding state technology efforts to comply with the federal background check system requirements; Requiring states to comply fully with the protocols of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System or taking away their federal funding if they do not; and Mandating federal compliance with a proposed presidential executive order directing all agencies to submit records to this instant background check system and certifying that they have done so twice yearly to the U.S. attorney general. In addition we offer two other recommendations for Congress to enact arising from the lessons of Virginia Tech: Outlawing high-capacity bullet magazines; and Requiring campuses to establish a threat assessment process. Taking these commonsense steps would go a long way toward ending the spree killing rampages that continue to haunt our nation. Details: Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2012. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2012 at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/04/pdf/vt_gun_control.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/04/pdf/vt_gun_control.pdf Shelf Number: 124968 Keywords: Background ChecksCampus CrimeCosts of Criminal JusticeGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceMass ShootingsSchool ShootingsViolent Crime |
Author: Gibbons, Roberta E. Title: The Evaluation of Campus-Based Gender Violence Prevention Programming: What We Know about Program Effectiveness and Implications for Practitioners Summary: Colleges and universities have been a key venue for the development and evaluation of sexual violence prevention programming. However, there are no studies demonstrating a link between campus-based sexual assault prevention programs and a subsequent campus-wide reduction in the incidence of sexual violence (Coker, Cook-Craig, Williams, Fisher, Clear, Garcia, & Hegge, 2011; Teten Tharp, DeGue, Lang, Valle, Massetti, Holt, & Matjasko, 2011). Nevertheless, there remain important reasons to pursue campus-based gender violence prevention programming: •Prevention programming can create a safer climate where victims feel more comfortable reporting, actually raising the number of recorded incidences of assault. •Using a “decrease in the incidence of sexual assault” as the only measure of success for prevention programs ignores many other short- and intermediate-term goals that are conceptually linked to a reduction in sexual assault, such as increasing students’ knowledge about rape and changing attitudes related to rape so that students are less likely to blame victims (Anderson & Whiston, 2005; Lonsway, Banyard, Berkowitz, Gidycz, Katz, Koss, Schewe, & Ullman, 2009). •Research shows that a significant number of woman experience sexual violence while in college (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000; Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987; Krebs, Lindquist, Warner, Fisher, & Martin, 2007; Black et. al., 2011). Details: Harrisburg, PA: National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 2013. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2013 at: http://snow.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/AR_EvaluationCampusProgramming.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://snow.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/AR_EvaluationCampusProgramming.pdf Shelf Number: 127426 Keywords: Campus CrimeColleges and UniversitiesSexual AssaultSexual Violence |
Author: Alpert, Geoff Title: Examining the Prevalence and Impact of Gangs in College Athletic Programs Using Multiple Sources: A Final Report Summary: Gangs in the United States have permeated areas and institutions previously unaffected by these anti-social and particularly violent youth groups until recent decades. Their geographic expansion has been documented by a substantial body of research that has focused primarily on the prevalence and impact of youth gangs in major American cities (e.g., Curry, Ball, & Fox, 1994; Miller, 1975). Contemporary research has demonstrated that these youth gangs have spread rapidly (e.g., Egley, Howell, & Moore, 2010; Klein, 1995) and the latest estimates provided by the 2008 National Youth Gang Survey suggest that approximately 27,900 gangs with 774,000 members exist in the United States (Egley, Howell, & Moore, 2010). The negative impact of youth gangs has also been well-established. Gang members have been disproportionately involved in delinquent and criminal activities as both offenders (Thornberry, 1998) and victims (Curry, Decker, & Egley, 2002; Peterson, Taylor, & Esbensen, 2004). Most notable has been their representation in violent crimes including homicides (Curry, Egley, & Howell, 2004; Miller, 1982; Tita & Abrahamse, 2004). Fortunately, most gang-involved youth have a relatively short duration of membership (Esbensen, Huizinga, & Weiher, 1993; Hill, Lui, & Hawkins, 2001; Thornberry, Krohn, Lizotte, & Chard-Wierschem, 1993) and interventions are focused on those stages in the life course during which the onset and continuity of gang activities is most likely to be established. Recent research has also examined the infiltration of youth gangs into various social institutions that serve youths and young adults in the United States. The existence of gangs in America’s schools has been repeatedly documented (e.g., Howell & Lynch, 2000; Tromanhauser, Corcoran, & Lollino, 1981) and these groups have negatively impacted individual students and the school as an organization (Burnett & Walz, 1994; Howell & Lynch, 2000; Hutchison & Kyle, 1993). In fact, there is a strong relationship between gangs and school crime (Burnett & Walz, 1994; Howell & Lynch, 2000), dropout rates (Hutchison & Kyle, 1993), and other anti-social outcomes. The problems posed by these groups in the larger communities served by those schools have created an inter-generational cycle of academic failure and criminal involvement. The presence of gangs in schools is not surprising considering the typical ages of gang members and the compulsory nature of our educational system. Gangs in the military, however, are counter-intuitive considering the structured and selective nature of this institution but their presence has been reported (United States Army, 2006; National Gang Intelligence Center, 2007). Youth gang members as student athletes in colleges and universities have surprised even the most attentive observers. This reality is startling considering that gang membership has been correlated with academic failure (Esbensen & Deschenes, 1998; Hill, Howell, Hawkins, & Battin-Pearson, 1999; Thornberry, Krohn, Lizotte, Smith, & Tobin, 2003) and serious criminal involvement as offenders (Curry, Egley, & Howell, 2004; Miller, 1982; Thornberry, 1998; Tita & Abrahamse, 2004). That said, media reports have documented that gang members have been recruited by college athletic programs (e.g., Davidson, 1986; Grumment, 1993; Hooper, 1997; LiCari & Hall, 1994; Schlabach, 2000) and a few reports have portrayed these student-athletes as involved with crimes including homicide (e.g., Berkin, 2004; Mushnick, 2004, Bosworth, 1991; and Radford, 2009), and as victims (e.g., Faught, 2003; Johnson, 2007). Interestingly, no systematic research has examined the extent of gangs in college athletic programs, an institution that is ubiquitous in American society. The purpose of the current study is to examine the prevalence and impact of ganginvolved student-athletes participating in collegiate athletic programs. First, we present a review of the existing literature regarding gangs generally as well as in several institutions to establish the context for our study of gang membership in college athletics. Next, the methodology of the present study is discussed, followed by the findings provided by college athletes, athletic department administrators, and campus law enforcement executives. These findings provide the first systematic examination of gangs in college sports from several sources that have first-hand knowledge of these programs and individuals. Lastly, policy implications of this study are presented. Details: Unpublished report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2011. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2013 at: http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/crju/pdfs/gangs_and_student_athletes_final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/crju/pdfs/gangs_and_student_athletes_final.pdf Shelf Number: 127919 Keywords: AthletesAthleticsCampus CrimeColleges and UniversitiesSportsYouth Gangs (U.S.) |
Author: Yung, Corey Rayburn Title: Concealing Campus Sexual Assault: An Empirical Examination Summary: This study tests whether there is substantial undercounting of sexual assault by universities. It compares the sexual assault data submitted by universities while being audited for Clery Act violations with the data from years before and after such audits. If schools report higher rates of sexual assault during times of higher regulatory scrutiny (audits), then that result would support the conclusion that universities are failing to accurately tally incidents of sexual assault during other time periods. The study finds that university reports of sexual assault increase by approximately 44% during the audit period. However, after the audit is completed, the reported sexual assault rates drop to levels statistically indistinguishable from the pre-audit time frame. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the ordinary practice of universities is to undercount incidents of sexual assault. Only during periods in which schools are audited do they appear to offer a more complete picture of sexual assault levels on campus. Further, the data indicate that the audits have no long-term effect on the reported levels of sexual assault as those crime rates return to previous levels after the audit is completed. This last finding is supported even in instances when fines are issued for non-compliance. The study tests for a similar result with the tracked crimes of aggravated assault, robbery, and burglary, but reported crimes show no statistically significant differences before, during, or after audits. The results of the study point toward two broader conclusions directly relevant to policymaking in this area. First, greater financial and personnel resources should be allocated commensurate with the severity of the problem and not based solely on university reports of sexual assault levels. Second, the frequency of auditing should be increased and statutorily-capped fines should be raised in order to deter transgressors from continuing to undercount sexual violence. The Campus Accountability and Safety Act, presently before Congress, provides an important step in that direction Details: Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas School of Law, 2014. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2014 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2504631 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2504631 Shelf Number: 133920 Keywords: Campus CrimeColleges and UniversitiesRapeSexual Assault (U.S.) |
Author: Sinozich, Sofi Title: Rape and Sexual Assault Victimization Among College-Age Females, 1995-2013 Summary: This report uses the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) to compare the rape and sexual assault victimization of female college students and nonstudents. For the period 1995-2013 - - The rate of rape and sexual assault was 1.2 times higher for nonstudents (7.6 per 1,000) than for students (6.1 per 1,000). - For both college students and nonstudents, the offender was known to the victim in about 80% of rape and sexual assault victimizations. - Most (51%) student rape and sexual assault victimizations occurred while the victim was pursuing leisure activities away from home, compared to nonstudents who were engaged in other activities at home (50%) when the victimization occurred. - The offender had a weapon in about 1 in 10 rape and sexual assault victimizations against both students and nonstudents. - Rape and sexual assault victimizations of students (80%) were more likely than nonstudent victimizations (67%) to go unreported to police. - About a quarter of student (26%) and nonstudent (23%) victims who did not report to police believed the incident was a personal matter, and 1 in 5 (20% each) stated a fear of reprisal. - Student victims (12%) were more likely than nonstudent victims (5%) to state that the incident was not important enough to report. - Fewer than 1 in 5 female student (16%) and nonstudent (18%) victims of rape and sexual assault received assistance from a victim services agency. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice,Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2014. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/rsavcaf9513.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/rsavcaf9513.pdf Shelf Number: 136624 Keywords: Campus CrimeCollege and UniversitiesRapeSex OffendersSexual AssaultSexual ViolenceVictim ServicesVictimization Survey |
Author: Babacan, Hurriyet Title: The Community safety of international students in Melbourne: A Scoping Study Summary: The report presents findings of a multi-method exploratory research project implemented by ICEPA. The study draws on data gathered through an on-line survey of 1,013 international and domestic students, in-depth interviews with 35 international students and interviews with 29 stakeholders from across government and non-government organisations concerned with the safety of international students. The report analyses this data and identifies key priorities in order to inform future research, policy and program development. Key findings - The vast majority (82%) of students surveyed, both international and domestic, felt Melbourne overall was a safe place to live; believed they lived in a safe part of Melbourne (81%); felt safe at their workplace (93%) and, felt safe when attending college or university (92%). - Differences did exist, however, between the two student groups. Fewer international students (78%) agreed Melbourne was a safe place to live than local students (86%) and were more likely to report that when safety is threatened, there is a racial, religious or cultural element to that threat (50% vs 17%). - A key theme expressed by all respondents was that issues relating to violence against international students are complex. This is due to the diversity of the international student body as each individual experiences different risk factors according to a range of factors including gender, religion, class, educational institution, age and English language skills. Nevertheless, interview and survey data indicates that violence motivated by racism is perceived by a significant proportion of international students as a pervasive element in the cocktail of factors that produce risks to their safety. - Both international and domestic students and stakeholders said that the key threats to safety included a combination of four main environmental factors, including higher risk of violence at night, being on public transport or in public spaces, particular localities that are unsafe and the use of alcohol and drugs. Details: Melbourne: Institute for Community, Ethnicity and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2010. 131p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2016 at: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/15491/1/The_Community_Safety_of_International_Students_in_Melb_A_Scoping_Study.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/15491/1/The_Community_Safety_of_International_Students_in_Melb_A_Scoping_Study.pdf Shelf Number: 138047 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus SafetySchool CrimeSchool SecuritySchool ViolenceStudent SafetyUniversities and Colleges |
Author: Association of American Universities Title: AAU Campus Activities Report: Combating Sexual Assault and Misconduct Summary: This report describes the policies and programs implemented and reported through an institutional survey undertaken by Association of American Universities (AAU) member universities to prevent and respond to campus sexual assault and misconduct. Fifty-five of the 62 leading research universities that comprise AAU's membership completed the survey, and 61 institutions provided examples of activities. All the universities represented in this report have changed and added strategies to combat sexual assault and misconduct on their campuses. Many changes and additions are linked to information gleaned from surveys of students, including a large-scale survey conducted by AAU in 2015, the Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. These surveys provided information that was not previously available regarding the prevalence of the problem, as well as challenges in campus climate and processes. This report provides a rich set of data and dozens of concrete examples of campus activities now underway to better inform universities and study ways to effect change. The report's findings are divided into six sections, representing the range of actions to address sexual assault and misconduct. There is no magic bullet or one-size-fits-all approach: universities have undertaken a wide variety of actions including increased and targeted training, greater awareness-building, better-coordinated data collection, increased staffing, process improvements, and greater levels of collaboration within institutions and their communities. This report demonstrates that institutions are acting to put student safety first. Details: Washington, DC: AAU, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2017 at: https://www.aau.edu/sites/default/files/AAU-Images/Key-Issues/Campus-Safety/AAU%20Climate%20Activities%20Full%20Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.aau.edu/sites/default/files/AAU-Images/Key-Issues/Campus-Safety/AAU%20Climate%20Activities%20Full%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 148533 Keywords: Campus CrimeColleges and Universities Sexual Assault Sexual Violence |
Author: End Rape on Campus Australia Title: Connecting the dots: Understanding sexual assault in university communities Summary: The following report is the result of End Rape on Campus Australia's extensive experience working with and advocating for student survivors of sexual assault. We believe that everyone has a right to an education free from sexual violence and that educational institutions have the responsibility of addressing sexual assault within their communities, both at the level of primary prevention, as well as through providing quality, trauma-informed services and pathways for reporting incidents of sexual assault. In this submission, we provide an overview of the problem of sexual assault at tertiary educational institutions in Australia, including the nature and extent of the issue, the obstacles a survivor may face when reporting and accessing support, and the historical context of universities' failure to respond to this issue. We have made a number of recommendations for change both at individual universities, and at the level of State and Federal Governments, to address the ongoing problem of sexual assault in university communities. The nature and extent of sexual assault within university communities At present, there is little reliable data on sexual assault prevalence rates at Australian universities, however national statistics show that young women in general are at a significantly greater risk of experiencing sexual assault than any other group of people. Recent media cases and data obtained through FOI investigations indicate that sexual assault and harassment is occurring at concerning rates at Australian universities and colleges. Attitudes which minimise sexual assault, shift blame onto victims or normalise non-consensual activity create a climate in which sexual assault is both more likely to occur, and less likely to be recognised and reported. We note that the perpetrators of sexual assault are overwhelmingly male, reflecting the gendered nature of sexual assault as a crime of power and control. In many instances, rape occurs off campus, in domestic settings such as share-houses, apartments, house parties, and so on. Although many universities restrict their attention to incidents which have occurred on campus, EROC Australia believes that this distinction is artificial. All instances of sexual assault experienced by a student have the potential to affect their ability to study and to participate in the university community regardless of where the assault took place. In this section, we also outline the role of witnesses and responders to acts of sexual assault, including friends of the victim, tutors, Residential Advisors and student representatives. There is an overarching lack of training and support for these supporters, creating a real risk of vicarious trauma. We provide several de-identified case studies from our work, illustrating common responses to sexual assault in university communities. The aftermath of rape: survivor needs in the wake of sexual assault Survivors often have a range of complex needs after experiencing sexual assault. In many cases, these needs are not met by the systems in place at universities for responding to requests for support. Part of the problem is the lack of a holistic approach to supporting survivors. Sexual assault can cause not only psychological and medical issues, but also financial stress, difficulty with academic tasks, the need for legal support, and housing issues, amongst others. In many cases, universities fail to make the connection between these needs and a student's experience of sexual assault. Even whereuniversities do endeavour to provide for some of these needs - for example, by referring students to oncampus counselling services - these services are often inaccessible and not specialised for responding to trauma. In particular, survivors have faced difficulties accessing the support they need with academic tasks, such as extensions or special considerations for assignments, time off from lectures or class, and changes to timetabling arrangements. Strict requirements for particular documentation, or automated systems that frequently reject applications, can cause significant anxiety for survivors. On-campus counselling services pose another problem. These services are often understaffed or underfunded, and many lack counselling staff with trauma specialist training, leading to some survivors receiving improper, and at times dangerous, treatment. Understanding the history and context of responses to sexual assault at Australian universities Sexual assault is not a new issue at Australian universities - student activists have been urging universities to address sexual violence for many decades. However, little progress has been made in improving policies, services and structures for reporting sexual violence. The overarching problem with universities' collective failure to address sexual violence is the conceptualisation of the problem as primarily a private concern or a woman's responsibility. Incidents of sexual assault are treated as rare, disconnected and random, rather than the inevitable product of a social context with deep-rooted and persistent gender inequality. This attitude leads to university campaigns that perpetuate various rape myths - for example, the misleading 'stranger danger' narrative leads to suggestions that better lighting on campus would reduce sexual assault. In many cases, universities seem to believe an adequate response to the prevalence of sexual assault is to publish 'safety tips' that urge women to modify their behaviour to avoid being sexually assaulted and perpetuate the idea that women hold responsibility for their own safety. Notably, such strategies fail to make perpetrators accountable for sexual assault. Universities also tend to conceptualise sexual assault as always, and only, a police matter. Many university websites urge survivors to report their experiences to police. Commonly, survivors are told that the university cannot take action unless the incident has been reported to police, or until a criminal conviction is secured. However, universities do in fact have disciplinary and misconduct procedures, which give university officials the power to investigate student misconduct, make findings, and deliver penalties. These procedures can provide important pathways of restitution for survivors, and can ideally deliver practical outcomes to support a survivor's welfare, such as removing the perpetrator from a class or from campus. Contrary to much university rhetoric, most university decision-making procedures are also supported by longstanding principles of administrative law, which acknowledge and regulate decision-making by nonjudicial bodies and provide protections for both survivors and alleged perpetrators. Barriers and challenges to reporting sexual assault within university communities There are many reasons that survivors may not choose to disclose their assault, whether informally, to friends and family, or formally, to professional support services, to the police or to their university. Barriers to informal reporting include emotional barriers, such as the fear of not being believed, as well as social, cultural, linguistic and structural barriers. There are also many obstacles to formally reporting instances of sexual assault - for example, inaccessible or poorly publicised reporting systems or a lack of trust in institutional procedures. Details: s.l.: End Rape on Campus Australia, 2017. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5762fc04f5e231826f09afae/t/58b3d08ddb29d6e7a2b8271d/1488179368580/Connecting+the+dots.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5762fc04f5e231826f09afae/t/58b3d08ddb29d6e7a2b8271d/1488179368580/Connecting+the+dots.pdf Shelf Number: 149314 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus RapeColleges and UniversitiesRapeSexual AssaultSexual ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of Crime |
Author: End Rape on Campus Australia Title: The Red Zone: An investigation into sexual violence and hazing in Australian university residential colleges Summary: The Red Zone Report details an extensive history of hazing, sexual assault and harassment at residential colleges around the country. In the foreword, Professor Catherine Lumby calls the report "sickening reading". In a series of powerful photos, presidents and Women's Officers from student organisations have written messages for their universities, such as '68 college students are raped per week in Aus. USyd WoCo has had enough', 'We stand with the silenced', 'Universities are covering up rape - but we will not be silent', and '12% of all campus rape happens in a single week: O Week'. Details: s.l.: End Rape on Campus Australia, 2018. 211p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 5, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5762fc04f5e231826f09afae/t/5a95cf99e4966ba2c2a64ca5/1519767581881/The+Red+Zone+Report+2018 Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5762fc04f5e231826f09afae/t/5a95cf99e4966ba2c2a64ca5/1519767581881/The+Red+Zone+Report+2018 Shelf Number: 149316 Keywords: Campus CrimeCollege and UniversitiesCollege HazingCollege RapeRapeSexual Violence |
Author: National Council on Disability Title: Not on the Radar: Sexual Assault of College Students with Disabilities Summary: Sexual assault can be devastating to victims and cause long term physical, psychological, and emotional effects, including depression, post-traumatic stress, thoughts of suicide, flashbacks, and sleep disorders. The issue of sexual assault on college campuses has received increased attention since the 2007 publication of the federally funded College Sexual Assault study, which found that 19 percent of female undergraduates were victims of sexual assault during their time in college. Another recent federally funded study surveyed 23,000 students across nine colleges and universities and found that the prevalence of sexual assault averaged 21 percent for females across the schools. Neither of these studies included disability status as a demographic and, as such, no data was gathered on the prevalence of sexual assault on students with disabilities. However, a recent large-scale study on campus sexual assault by the Association of American Universities revealed that college students with disabilities were victims of sexual violence at higher rates than students without disabilities - 31.6 percent of undergraduate females with disabilities reported nonconsensual sexual contact involving physical force or incapacitation, compared to 18.4 percent of undergraduate females without a disability. This means one out of every three undergraduate students with a disability was a victim of sexual violence on campus. As campuses across the United States work to prevent assaults, educate students on assault prevention, and provide supports for survivors, little is known about how colleges address the accessibility needs of students with disabilities who have suffered a sexual assault, or about the inclusivity of college programs, services, and policies to victims of assault with disabilities. This study set out to investigate the current state of campus sexual assault programs and policies and uncovered multiple barriers to students with disabilities, from reporting crime to receiving needed assistance afterward. The report includes recommendations for Congress, federal agencies, and colleges to improve reporting requirements, training, and policies and procedures to better serve students with disabilities who have experienced sexual assault on campus. Details: Washington, DC: The Council, 2018. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2018 at: https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Not_on_the_Radar_Accessible_01292018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Not_on_the_Radar_Accessible_01292018.pdf Shelf Number: 149758 Keywords: Campus CrimeCampus RapeColleges and UniversitiesDisabilitiesDisabled PersonsSexual Assault |
Author: Brake, Deborah L. Title: Back to Basics: Excavating the Sex Discrimination Roots of Campus Sexual Assault Summary: It takes some explaining to use the occasion of a symposium honoring the legacy of Pat Summitt, one of the most successful college basketball coaches of all time, to publish an article addressing Title IX's application to campus sexual assault. Neither the coach's record nor the top-shelf program she ran for so many decades calls this topic immediately to mind. And yet, as I reflect on the challenges ahead for Title IX and the continuing struggle for sex equality in higher education, including in university athletic programs, I am struck by how interconnected women's leadership is to a broader set of issues of gender and power, including the sexual objectification and harassment of women. As if we needed a culturally explosive reminder to shock feminism out of a state of apathy, the linkages between gender, power, and leadership were on full display in the bitterly divisive presidential election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Social practices that objectify and subordinate women, and their consequences for women's access to leadership, figured prominently throughout the campaign. This article explores the connections between sexual assault, harassment, objectification, and the challenges facing women in leadership against the backdrop of Title IX. It argues that Title IX's application to sexual harassment, including sexual assault, is an essential part of the law's broader agenda of opening the paths to leadership on an equal basis. More particularly, it seeks to ground the Title IX administrative framework that has emerged for addressing campus sexual assault in the statutory prohibition of sex-based discrimination. Without such a reckoning, the Title IX obligations on universities enforced during the Obama Administration are vulnerable to unilateral rollback by the new Trump Administration. This article begins the project of strengthening the sex discrimination roots of the Title IX framework for campus sexual assault and calls for further work linking the particular obligations the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has imposed on educational institutions to the statutory mandate against sex discrimination. Part I sketches some linkages between liberal feminism's goal of expanding women's access to leadership and the dominance feminist agenda of resisting the sexual subordination of women. It argues that these two strands of feminist legal theory are not alternatives to each other, but are complementary and mutually reinforcing in their shared goal of dislodging the social practices that keep women from power. Ironically, perhaps, the gender inequality that sits at the root of sexual assault as a social practice has been lost in the weeds of the controversies surrounding the specific procedures institutions are required to use in responding to sexual assault complaints. Part II details the gender-blind narratives that are ascendant in the discourse surrounding campus sexual assault and argues that they function to obscure the gendered reality, and the gender inequality, of campus sexual assault. Part III explains the Title IX framework that courts and the OCR have developed for handling sexual assault. It traces the evolution of this legal framework from the statute's broad, general ban on sex-based discrimination in education programs receiving federal funds to the more particular obligations now placed on educational institutions to follow specific practices in addressing campus sexual assault allegations. Although OCR has acted consistently with the role of an enforcing agency by filling in the gaps of Title IX's broad anti-discrimination mandate, I argue that neither the courts nor the agency has fully explained, in a persuasive way, how the emerging Title IX framework is connected to the statute's ban on sex-based discrimination. Part IV begins the work of grounding the specific obligations placed on educational institutions in the statute's discrimination ban. Sexual assault is a social practice rooted in, and reinforcing of, gender inequality. It is not merely the gender of the typical perpetrator and victim (although sexual assault is overwhelmingly a practice engaged in by men and experienced by women and gender minorities, including LGBTQ persons), but the gender inequality in sexual relations on campus that situates sexual assault as a sexually subordinating practice. Most importantly for the legitimacy of the Title IX framework, institutional cultures and institutions' own practices in responding to sexual assault contribute to the campus cultures that reinforce and facilitate sexual assault as a sexually subordinating practice. Institutional responses to sexual assault, and not just sexual assault itself, are deeply gendered and embedded in gender inequality. The very rape myths and peer norms that underlie sexual assault as a social practice also find purchase in the common responses that excuse and minimize sexual assault when it occurs. Without the kinds of specific obligations the Title IX framework places on institutions for handling sexual assault charges, gender scripts and rape myths would have full rein to undermine complainants' credibility and mitigate empathy for their experiences of harm. This article seeks to begin a conversation about whether and how the specific obligations on universities for responding to sexual assault are grounded in the statute's mandate for ending sex-based discrimination on campus. That work remains vital if Title IX is to fulfill its promise of dislodging the gender practices that block women's pathways to power and leadership. Details: Pittsburgh, 2018. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2018 at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1101&context=rgsj Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1101&context=rgsj Shelf Number: 151582 Keywords: Campus CrimeGender IssuesSex DiscriminationSexual Assault |