Kean campus security guide says liquor violations, burglaries on the rise

By Christy Petillo

 

Every year Kean University provides the campus community, employees and prospective students with campus crime data and statistical information regarding campus security through a publication known as The Guide.

Statistically, liquor law violations are the leading offense for arrests on the Kean campus.

From 2010 to 2011, arrests based on liquor law violations have increased. There were 28 arrests for liquor violations in 2010, in comparison to 86 the following year; 74 of which were made in a residence hall.

Drug-related arrests have stayed about the same. Twenty arrests were made in 2010 and 18 arrests were made in 2011, 14 of which were in a residence hall. 2010 to 2011 saw a decrease in weapons possession charges, with four arrests for weapons possession being made in 2010 and two in 2011.

According to The Guide, all arrest statistics are gathered from Kean University Public Safety and the Police Department.

The following information is based on the number of persons in 2011 who were referred to the university for campus disciplinary action. There were 86 reported liquor violation referrals on campus, 84 of which occurred in a residence hall. There were over 24 reported drug violation referrals, over 22 of which occurred in a residence hall. Only one weapons possession referral was reported, which also occurred in a residence hall.

In comparison to the statistics available from 2010, liquor and weapons referrals have increased on campus. Drug-related referrals have decreased. There were only 33 reported liquor referrals in 2010 and there were no weapons possession referrals. Drug-related referrals exceeded 25 offenses in 2010.

As noted in The Guide, suspicious odors which can be associated with drugs/narcotics as determined by campus police may also be subject to disciplinary action.

According to The Guide, all campus disciplinary statistics are gathered from the office of the Vice President for student affairs.

Since 2010, burglary and violent/theft related offenses at Kean have increased. There were a reported 21 burglaries on campus in 2010. In 2011, burglary rose with a reported 33 burglaries on campus, 14 of which took place in a residence hall. Burglary, as defined in The Guide, is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.

There were also a reported five offenses of arson on campus. Arson, as defined by The Guide, is any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn a house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or personal property. This offense has also increased since 2010, which had no reports of arson.

Sex offenses have decreased. There were no reported sex offenses in 2011. As opposed to 2010, in which there were three sex offenses reported. In addition, there were no reports of hate crime in both 2010 and 2011.

In comparing the crime statistics of Kean University to Montclair State University, Montclair has more reported burglaries and arrests based on drug abuse violations than Kean.

In 2011, Montclair reported 78 burglaries on campus, 47 of which occurred in a residence hall. Montclair also supersedes Kean with 81 arrests based on drug abuse violations, 61 of which occurred in residence halls.

 

To view the full publication of The Guide, visit www.kean.edu/publications/TheGuide.pdf.

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