Dive Brief:
- Total crime on college campuses fell 25% from 2001 to 2012, according to data from the latest crime report from the U.S. Department of Education.
- Burglary and motor vehicle theft are down and liquor law violations are dropping again after an increase in the middle of the decade, but drug law violations are on the rise.
- The number of hate crimes has remained largely steady since 2009, with nearly half being motivated by race and a quarter by sexual orientation.
Dive Insight:
The department’s Indicators of School Crime and Safety report traditionally included data only about elementary and secondary schools. Last summer, it released the first report that included higher education statistics.
In 2012, the most recent year for which the department is reporting data, forcible sex offenses accounted for 13% of total reported crimes. It is possible that better reporting mechanisms on college campuses have accounted for the most recent increase, from 3,400 reported incidents in 2011 to 3,900 in 2012. The latest 15% jump contributed to a 77% increase between 2001 and 2012.