When you are attending a university in any part of the country, it is always good to know key statistics about the college, especially when it comes to crimes. It is important that you feel safe in the university that you attend, as well as understand what the process is if you ever become the victim of or accused of a crime.
Universities have a unique way of dealing with on-campus crimes, since it is regarded as an enclosed place where students are able to transition to adulthood. Therefore, many universities deal with any reported crimes internally, rather than reporting them directly to the police. This means that many incidents and complaints are dealt with by the college court.
What are the crime statistics for Penn State University?
In the year of 2016, there were 2,372 incidents reported that related to safety and crime. These incidents occurred either on or near any of the Pennsylvania State campuses. This means that in 2016, Pennsylvania State had the 8th highest rate of reported crime out of all universities and colleges in the country.
Out of all of these incidents, 52 percent resulted in disciplinary actions, meaning they were minor occurrences. Forty-one percent resulted in an arrest for possession of an illegal substance, 6 percent were arrests for major crimes and 1.4 percent were in relation to domestic or sexual violence.
It is important to note that a high rate of crime reports does not necessarily mean that the campus is more dangerous than those with low reporting rates, but instead that students trust the college to deal with incidents appropriately. If you have been accused of a crime at Pennsylvania State, it is important to understand your rights and your options.
Source: College Factual, “Pennsylvania State University – Main Campus Crime and Safety,” accessed April 01, 2018