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Many Urban Schools Deemed Safer than Colleges in Smaller Communities
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Almost a year
after the Virginia Tech shooting, American colleges have made great strides
in securing their campuses and protecting their students. However, as
Reader's Digest discovered when it conducted a survey of 135 colleges and
universities, much remains to be done. The March issue of Reader's Digest,
which goes on sale on newsstands on February 19, features a special report
on safety preparedness at colleges called "Safe at School?," which appears
in conjunction with the survey results. The report examines the numerous
safety threats faced by college students today and describes some of the
best safety practices employed by certain schools. The full survey results
can be seen at http://www.rd.com, along with the methodology used.
The survey takes into consideration the many variables between
campuses, including size and location. For that reason, each of the 135
schools evaluated were given a grade of A, B or C, based on their readiness
to handle on-campus threats to safety and security. Surprisingly, several
urban schools, such as John Hopkins University and New York University,
rated higher on campus safety than many schools in suburban areas or
smaller cities, such as Bryn Mawr College or Wesleyan University,
emphasizing that preparedness has more to do with appropriate allocation of
resources and less to do with geographical setting.
According to crime data filed with the federal office of Postsecondary
Education, our country's 6,000 colleges and universities report some 40,000
burglaries, 3,700 forcible sex offenses, 7,000 aggravated assaults and 48
murders a year -- much of it triggered by alcohol abuse. In addition to the
threat of crime, campus housing fires nearly doubled since 1998; suicide is
now the second-leading cause of death among students, after accidents; and
alcohol contributes to an estimated 1,700 student deaths and nearly 600,000
injuries a year.
"Colleges are a reflection of our society," said Peggy Northrop,
Editor- in-Chief, Reader's Digest. "You don't escape crime or other hazards
when you head off to school. We hope with this article to help parents and
students understand the facts and make informed choices."
"Safe at School?" shares critical insights for parents, including:
* Almost 80% of campus crime is student-against-student, and alcohol is a
factor in 95% of violent crime on campus.
* The rate of depression among college students seeking mental-health
services more than doubled between 1989 and 2001.
* According to safety experts, the first six weeks of college are the most
dangerous period of a student's campus life, when freshmen are most
vulnerable to alcohol abuse, hazing and crimes like acquaintance rape.
The report also features questions that parents and students should ask
when first visiting a college, including: Is the school monitored -- in
real time, 24/7 -- by video cameras?; Does the school use electronic-access
card keys and newer campus-alert systems?; and, Are there smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors in campus buildings?
Beyond the frightening statistics, many colleges are using innovative
and effective tools to make their campuses more secure. "Safe at School?"
includes several examples of best safety practices like St. John's use of
text messaging to communicate with students when an armed man was spotted
on campus, and the University of Kentucky's fire drills that feature
theatrical smoke to help students understand what a real fire emergency is
like. Across the country, examples abound of colleges and universities
facing safety challenges head on in order to ensure the well-being of the
students with whom they have been entrusted.
Methodology:
Survey questions were prepared in consultation with Matthew E. Kahn,
Ph.D., UCLA; Safety on Campus, Inc.; and the International Association of
Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.
About Reader's Digest:
Reader's Digest magazine reaches nearly 40 million readers each month
in the United States and twice as many worldwide. The magazine is published
worldwide in 50 editions and 21 languages, and reaches readers in more than
60 countries. It is the flagship of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.,
a global publisher and direct marketer of products that inform, entertain
and inspire people of all ages and cultures around the world. Global
headquarters are in Pleasantville, N.Y.
SOURCE Reader's Digest
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Related links:
http://www.rd.com
CONTACT:
Scott Gorenstein, or Sasa Nikolic, both of
Susan Magrino Agency, +1-212-957-3005, for Reader's Digest
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