Campus Violence at Texas, New Jersey Schools

Posted September 28, 2010 in Personal & Home Safety by Arthur Buono
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Incidents today and last weekend have put violence against college students in focus again. Just this morning a University of Texas student killed himself after firing shots on the UT Austin campus. Thankfully no one else was injured in the shooting spree.

     
  • UT, Seton Hall incidents point to on- and off-campus safety issues
  • Jeanne Clery Act requires publication of campus crime statistics
  • Incidents serve as reminders to take a personal safety audit

 

Campus Crime Remains Serious Concern

This past weekend a Seton Hall student was killed and two others wounded at an off-campus house party. Her assailant was refused admittance to the party and returned later with a gun. He’s to make a court appearance today. Police are still looking for the suspect who supplied the weapon.

This is supposed to be homecoming season on campus, not the final coming home of dead college kids. Students and their parents need transparency in campus crime reporting. The Jeanne Clery Act requires schools to publish crime statistics and security policies annually. Safety should be as much a part of the college selection process as school rankings. You can use the Education Department’s Campus Safety and Security Tool to get crime statistics on schools.

The Clery Act was amended in 2007 in response to the Virginia Tech massacre. Schools must have in place a system warning students and faculty of ongoing threats. The problem of off-campus violence, however, remains. So much of personal safety involves common-sense, like going in groups, letting someone know where you’ll be and who you’re with, and avoiding situations and behaviors that could compromise safety. It’s an unfortunate fact that it seems impossible to be safe from a disturbed or enraged gun-toting individual.

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