The University of Maryland?s College Park campus is among the nation?s most dangerous.
Maryland reported 38 violent crime offenses in 2005, making the campus home to the third-highest number of offenses nationally, according to a recently released FBI report.
Only the University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, N.J., and Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., reported more incidents of violent crime.
Maryland reported two forcible rapes, 18 robberies and 18 aggravated assaults in 2005. The campus also experienced 661 incidents of property crime.
“The university is certainly very aware of the number of crimes that happen on our campus,” said Maj. Cathy Atwell, the spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety at Maryland.
Atwell said Maryland has recently added six officers to its staff ? for a total of 100 ? and increased lighting and the number of cameras around campus to deal with crime.
She said most criminal offenses are caused by residents who live around the campus and not by students.
“The College Park crime incidents reflect what happens in the surrounding area,” she said. “We are not an island, but our crime numbers are much less than what happens in the surrounding area.”
Laura Moore, president-elect of Maryland?s Graduate Student Government, said graduate students are especially vulnerable to crime.
“Graduate students often leave their offices and labs late at night, so safety is definitely a concern for us,” she said.
Brianna Bond, a senior at Maryland, said crime is something she thinks about.
“It?s always looming in the back of your head,” she said. “I do feel that crime is sort of on the outer rim of the campus, but the campus itself ? I would say I feel pretty safe on campus.”
Most Violent Colleges
» College/Student Enrollment/Violent Crime Offenses
» University of Medicine and Dentistry – Newark, N.J. /5,329 / 58
» Arizona State/49,171 /39
» U.Md. – College Park/34,933 /38
» UCLA/35,966 /37
» Indiana – Bloomington/37,821/35
» Minnesota/50,954/33
» Michigan State/44,836/30
Maryland?s Most Violent Colleges
» College/Student Enrollment/ Violent Crime Offenses
» U.Md. – College Park/34,933 /38
» Maryland – Baltimore City/ 5,602/16
» Morgan State/6,891/15
» Coppin State/3,875/12
» Bowie State/5,415/7
» Towson/17,667/7
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
