The Observer, September 12, 2008
Volume XLI, Issue 3
Security, awareness need improvement
It happens every September: when students return to the Case Western Reserve University campus at the end of the summer, there is an abrupt increase in crime. The sudden rise in the population density of the area leads to a definite upsurge in thefts and robberies. According to the daily crime log kept by Case Protective Services, there were 21 incidents in the first eight days of September. For contrast, only 12 incidents occurred in the first eight days of August.
Case Protective Services offers many crime prevention services, including bike lock rental and a 24-hour escort service. But the services aren't promoted as well as they could be, and are consequentially underutilized. Though there are safety tips at the end of every security alert sent out, greater promotion of services would lead to more widespread use and a safer population.
A significant deterrent to using the 24-hour escort service, according to some students, is the occasional rude security dispatcher. When the person on the other end of the line treats you like a juvenile for trying to be safe, the service isn't exactly inviting to use. Simply having a dispatcher who can make students feel comfortable calling security will likely increase use.
Another significant fact is that the most frequent escort users are female – but the majority of people getting robbed at night are males. Promotions of the service need to appeal to everyone and surmount the macho tendencies of college men.
It's up to students, though, to be smart about their own safety. University Circle has been called "an oasis in the middle of a cesspool," and though we don't endorse this statement, it is vital to note that we don't live in a plastic bubble. Avoid walking across campus late at night, even in a group. Call an escort to walk with you if you're alone. Don't carry large amounts of cash with you.
Crime prevention starts with us. You never know what's around the corner!
