06 - Campus Crime - Isaiah Calvert

 

      

Safety and Security Report reveals uptick in on-campus crime at Stanford -

               The annual report is published in compliance with the federal law. The report’s crime statistics include alleged offenses, including attempts, reported to university staff or police within the 2024 calendar year, as well as data from the prior two years. It also contains helpful information and tips on personal safety and emergency preparedness, such as how to report a crime, what to do in an emergency, and how the university’s mass notification system works. “We have thousands of students, faculty, staff, and visitors on campus every day, and we strive to ensure their safety,” said DPS Chief Laura Wilson. “This annual report helps keep the Stanford community informed of crime that occurs here. It also gives people clear guidance on how they can help support campus safety.” (Stanford Report)

       The Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDP'S)’s Safety, Security and Fire Report published on Sept. 29 showed an increase in domestic violence and aggravated assault on campus and a decrease in sex offenses and hate crimes from 2023.

       2024 saw 54 reports of domestic violence, up from 13 in 2023. This uptick, according to SUDPS Clery Act compliance coordinator Vince Bergado, is due to the continued investigation of several years-long cases. The report documents 58 instances of stalking in 2024, an increase of three cases from 2023 that follows the trend of the past several years. The Clery Act defines stalking as “two or more acts directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or suffer substantial emotional distress,” according to a statement from University spokesperson Luisa Rapport.

       The number of reported sex offenses in 2024 was 46, which follows a downward trend spanning the past few years. Sex offenses include rape, fondling, incest and statutory rape, according to the Clery Act. The 26 aggravated assault cases reported in 2024 represent an increase from the 21 in 2023. Seventeen of those cases occurred in student residences.

      Motor vehicle theft was the most common crime reported on campus in 2024 — 77 electric bikes, 68 electric scooters, 24 golf carts, 10 automobiles, two electric skateboards and one motorcycle were reported stolen, marking a total of 182 cases.

       Burglaries and drug violations also increased in 2024, with upticks of 10% and 230%. In 2024, hate crimes decreased from 24 in 2023 to 12. Of the hate crimes reported last year, seven were reports of vandalism, three of intimidation and two of simple assault. More than half of the hate crimes reported involved acts of vandalism or intimidation related to national origin in the context of the Israel-Hamas war. (The Stanford Daily)