Northwestern’s annual Security and Fire Safety Report was released Sunday, revealing a small increase in reported bias incidents and minor drug violations.
The report is issued each year in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. It details statistics about fires and crimes that occurred on campus in the last three years.
The number of hate crimes reported to University Police are included in the report. Although no bias-related assaults were reported in 2010 or 2011, three race-related simple assaults were reported in 2012.
In general, the number of hate crimes reported over the last three years was low, totaling five bias-related vandalisms in the last three years and two intimidation incidents, in addition to the three simple assaults.
Prior to the 2012 reporting period, the University formed the Bias Incident Response Team as an attempt to decrease the number of bias incidents that went unaccounted for.
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The report also includes the number of arrests and referrals made in relation to drug use and alcohol. There were 303 alcohol violation referrals and zero arrests for alcohol in 2012, the lowest figure in three years. UP attributes the decrease to the implementation of an alcohol and other drug sanctioning program, BASICS, in which students are required to attend two one-hour meetings for any first-time alcohol violation.
The number of drug violation referrals nearly doubled from 2011 to 2012, from 42 referrals made in 2011 and 79 referrals in 2012. However, only five drug-related arrests were made in 2012 compared to four made in 2011.
UP said in the report the reason for the increase in drug referrals was unknown.
Burglaries decreased significantly in 2012 to 20 on the Evanston campus and one on the Chicago campus, in comparison with 46 Evanston burglaries and 11 Chicago burglaries in 2011. UP attributed the decrease to a secure pass building access system implemented in NU medical buildings in Fall 2011.
— Amy Whyte
