Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Fighting campus crime Group urge By Beth Harrison Fighting crime through cooperation between students and the division of law enforcement and safety is the goal of Operation Campus Watch. USC police are distributing an Onf rat ion P Qmnnc more aware of sights and sounds that may be indicative of crimes. A list of facts to remember when reporting an incident to the police is also included. Later the pamphlet will be available throughout campus, according to Danny Baker, assistant vice president for law enforcement and safety. "Our whole approach is towards awareness," he said. STUDENTS CAN help fight crime by calling the police if they are in the vicinity or have knowledge of a crime. Dorm residents are good target populations for Operation Campus Watch because more than 8,000 USC students live on campus, Baker said. The pamphlet is a combination of older posters and literature under one unifying title. It is eye-catching, not threatening, Baker said. "People see a lot of crimes, " said Carl Stokes, systems vice president of the division. Because people don't want to become involved, they don't offer their assistance, Stokes said. "They don't want to squeal on a peer." THE POLICE can only be as effective as the community wants them to be. It takes the community to bring a case to trial and convict the criminal, Stokes said. This theory can be applied to. the university setting. Through campus watcn, students can help by calling the police and giving tips police may need to solve a crime, Stokes said. Property theft is the most common campus crime, Baker said. Campus ponce plans to Keep taos on campus crime rates this semester so they can be compared with crime rates during last year's fall semester. Chances that a stolen item will be recovered are increased if the owner memorizes the item's serial number, Donate Bloo American JLm WtflHe wmvxi i Wednesday CRUIS-O-MJ ...and our Wednesda HAPPY HOUR ALL 4 p.m. - CLOSI Thursday, Frid 3 ? C^fi i?*/*l-5*/ Iw ^uiu i uu y THE SNf This Week ... Thursdc Coors 50? Coming next week ... from N.Y., The SCfi SUS5M0N m / * i' \ * s student/law .m ISBSSSBRBBk Stokes said. If the serial number is available, an inquiry can be made into the National Crime Information Center's data bank. AN ITEM can be identified without the serial number. If the owner can give police a description of unusual marks on the item, chances for recovery are increased, Stokes said. Items may also be engraved with the owner's identification number. Sam Gill, a Wade Hampton Hotel hall adviser, has organized an engraving project with the help of hotel residents. Through this effort, residents were able to have their social securitv numbers engraved on their valuable items. "I hope we can expand that to other residence halls," Baker said. "We don't want students, faculty and staff to be ripped off. We would much rather act before it happens than after it happens." OTHER FREQUENT campus crimes include book thefts, vandalism, trespassing and breaking and entering. There is a lot of vandalism of cars in the parking garages, with students breaking windows and antennas and scratching paint, Stokes said. "A lot of our crimes are alcohol ~ I - ?? d. * ij ITIC SI / Snecial I ^ NIGHT iy V ^Pecial WM dH%^ FAMI SeeR 1216 I i M' , { ? t . ' : ' I i lit' I I r cooperation related," Stokes said. "I'm surprised at the number of students that drink." Car vandalism is one of the major alcohol-related crimes on campus, he said. Before the division of law enforcement and public safety was created in February 1981, USC was provided with "virtually nothing" in the way of crime prevention programs, Baker said. THE OFFICE was started through "people having perceptions that we need this sort of thing," he said. The creation of the office came about through the reorganization of the public safety, security and communications office." ?m a ??* ? *i.. *?: i lie unite i,"> cuimaiiuy uying iu develop new programs," Baker said. "Programs have to be ongoing because the population is so transient." The division gives presentations to residence halls and University 101 classes. These presentations deal with problems ranging from theft on campus to personal safety. Students often leave their rooms unlocked "not because they are stupid, but because that's what they did at home," Baker said. liwlCani Coupons The -4~ ci aMM&campus gagas g * l?ZWwx H $ tmcasH xmstf SWEEl CONTACT ALPHA PHI OME< liffiiiiiii Caj w 6 66 6 V 6 66 6 ? 6 66 6 IP 6 66 6 V H S ^airman 799-7201 i I I riffi fu? ! vn m , / ILY HAIR CENTER ' v ? -a L_ amona for Manicures & Pec Washington St., Suite t'!' i'. r i' J ;: i' i'?'' i' Dormitory vandals may face discipline By Beth Harrison Dormitory vandalism is a serious offense, and vandals must face the consequences of their actions, a Residential Life Services official said. "We look at discipline as an educational experience, and honefullv thp loamc frnm " ""I-* 1 1 development. . The rate of dorm vandalism is high at the beginning of the year because "students are testing out how far they can go," Wencel said. STUDENTS OFTEN vandalize when they're drunk or when protesting a certain rule they feel is inappropriate, she said. Some just have "a wild and crazy hair," according to Wencel. "They do it for the heck of it." Frustration, personal problems and pressure from exams are other reasons students may vandalize. "It's a way to strike out," Wencel said. Destruction of USC property and ripping down signs are the most common forms of vandalism at USC. "Vandalism is a pretty broad area," Wencel said. Acts considered vandalism may include burning carpets, destroying furniture and punching holes in walls. Wencel said students can help stop vandalism by staying aware 01 wnat is Happening on tneir tioors. Students should care about the community in which they live. They should think of it not just as a place to hang their clothes and sleep, but as a place where they have to live, she said. ANYONE WHO witnesses an incident should report it to a hall adviser so the person responsible can accept the consequences of the action, Wencel said. Sometimes students hesitate to "tell" on someone they see vandalizing. Some don't want to take on the responsibility. Some feel they don't want to "snitch" on their fellow residents, she said. Hall advisers play an important part in stopping dorm wonHolicm C/\rv>ot?moc or* o/-it;iror tn o \ 7 lnnrr\ in TuuuuiiJiii. uuiiiti iniv^ an au v inciy ii^ai u vyiiu id l tJjJUll" sible for vandalism through students living on the floor. Part of the adviser's job is to refer vandals to the residence hall director. Before going to the RHD, the hall adviser must write an incident report. After receiving the report, the residence hall director speaks to the vandal. Some situations can be remedied at the residence hall director level, Wencel said. IF THE case is serious enough, the person responsible | for the vandalism is referred to Wencel. "When a student comes in to accent the conseauences of his behavior, I res pond in a very serious style," she said. Disciplinary action varies, depending on the seriousness of the vandalism, Wencel said. Some of the possible consequences of vandalism include transferring the resident to another living area, requiring mandatory participation in a community project or placing their housing contract in jeopardy. t ? a ? ??.?_m ???? a ? ? nusBWHH^ Card WIN mpus $ PSTAKES GA FOR INFORMATION CASH sh msmmm $ WELCOME BACK!!! | To class . . . and to the new E "Fall and Winter Hair Fashions" J ????????????????? Introductory Coupon for Students, ; Faculty & Staff j; $ 4.00 off styling services j SIC).?0 ?ff perm and } r>/% I fc? ? ? ? OWIUI |] * extra long styles or corrective ] j; perms & color by quote only S ! j firman 799-/201 gfej I offer expires October 15, 1983 W BH |?| j j licures "GO-COCKS" MUTk J 34, Capitol Center, uptown | * . ? J ? ' 1 1 , i 1 . 1 1 * . , . ; i 1 . * i . . ; . I i 4 ' ? * '