Crime pi
SUSAN COOPER Staff Writer ?
Campus safety is an issue that ^
affects everyone on campus. t
_ r_.i. i_
fttcoruiug to uonna neigni,
coordinator of Housing, Security t
and Judicial programs, the
department of housing helps 0
inform and coordinate programs y
with residence hall directors
and residence assistants. y
Through these programs, (
RHDs and RAs can provide r
information to the residents ^
about how to keep themselves
safe and the dorms secure. r
Some suggestions for residents ^
are: lock all doors and windows a
before leaving the room, lock the g
door when you're in the room
alone, and to call the police if ?
anything suspicious occurs. d
Corporals Pattie Weed and Jeff t
Wingard of the University of s
South Carolina Police e
Department Bike Patrol encour- r
111 A. A ? A. *
age residents to secure items in
their rooms even when going a
down the hall. c
Wingard said, "It only takes a
couple of seconds for someone to r
walk in to your room and grab a
something." t<
According to Baker, residence t
halls try to create a sense of
community for students based a
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uu i/i usl, uut lie saiu stuueiiua S<
should not leave their belong- a
ings unsecured. A
"Most thefts that occur are stu- o
dents stealing form other students,"
he said. - s
Baker also said it is a good tl
idea to let people you trust S
^imie is a lactur everywnere,
and knowing how to keep yourself
and others safe is very ^
important. A
According to Danny Baker, the
assistant dean of the College of ^
Criminal Justice, most crimes
result when people do not protect
themselves from criminals.
"Crime equals opportunity
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uiviueu uy ueaiiu. 11 aumeuiie
has the desire to commit a j
crime, there is nothing we can ^
do about it, but we can do somes
thing about opportunity," Baker
said. C
Q
The Office of Housing Security
is responsible for several policies
which are attempting to c
improve campus security.
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^Wednesday^u"?
reventio
'Crime equals opportunity divi
foe desire to commit a crime,
ibout it, but we can do sometl
enow where you are going and
vhen you expect to return.
According to Baker, dating
>ehavior is also overlooked by
itudents and should be given
nore attention.
Sexual assault on college cam)uses
occurs most often in datng
situations, according to
iJaker. He also said knowing
vho you are going out with and
letting the boundaries in terms
>f the date helps avoid the
ipportunity for a crime to hap>en.
According to Baker, dating stulents
should be aware that the
najority of this type of crime
iccurs when someone is under
he influence of alcohol or drugs.
"You want to be in command
md not be at someone's mercy,"
le said.
Security for residence halls is
tandled by desk assistants
DAs). They are part of the
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uuiiu-wic-vivv^iv i utauun at a
lorms' front desk.
Height said DAs check IDs and
oom keys when people enter a
orm and check to see if they
re residents or signed-in
nests.
"People pay big money to get
his kind of security, and stuents
see it as infringing on
heir rights and privacy," Baker
aid. ~?>ut really it is trying to
nhance a safe and secure envionment."
There are several ways to
void becoming a victim to
rime.
First, avoid walking, jogging or
iding your bike alone at night,
ccording to Carl Stokes, direcar
of law enforcement and safev.
"Don't walk in a dark, secluded
rea by yourself. Walk with
omeone else. Know where you
re going, and go directly there.
Jid have some way of notifying
tliers," he said.
Another way to keep yourself
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aie is to avoia snoricuLS
trough alleys or parking lots,
tay in well-lit and well-travG<
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19,1998 The Qa
n begins
ided by desire. If someone has
there is nothing we can do
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Danny Baker, assistant dean of
the College of Criminal Justice
eled areas.
A map of safe routes on campus
can be picked up in the SG
office in the Russell House.
If you find yourself out late at
night, call a friend to come pick
you up, or use one of the oncampus
organizations to take
you home.
Weed and Wingard ask guys to
walk female friends home at
night. Both officers have seen
girls walk out of male dorms
alone late at night.
"Gentlemen be gentlemen and
walk the ladies home," Wingard
saia.
If you don't have anyone to
walk you home, the Alpha Phi
Omega service fraternity offers
an escort service that can be
called at 777-3825. They will
take you to and from anywhere
on campus between 8 and 12
p.m. during fall and spring
semesters.
Alike Brown, the fraternity's
service vice president, said the
escort service "clearly provides a
higher level of safety within the
university." Campus police can
also be called upon to provide a
ride home.
By being aware of the things
around you, you can help deter
crime. According to a safety
pamphlet from the Division of
Law Enforremant. anH Safpfv
this can be done by "keeping
your eyes and ears open" and
reporting any suspicious activity
to the campus police.
The police should be contacted
if you hear any unusual noises
like erlass breaking or scream
u 0 - - - ing,
notice an emergency like a
fire, find someone soliciting in a
dorm room or see anyone running
from a car or building carrying
property.
New students need to be aware
of the risks of living on campus.
"Freshmen women are at
greater risk of sexual assault
because they are testing their
limits," Height said.
Baker said, "As freshmen, we
want to be liked, accepted, we
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USC police officers use bicycles w
want to fit in. Arriving on campus,
there's a certain modification
of behavior that needs to
take place."
According to Stokes, USC's
campus is pretty safe compared
to other cities and municipalities
in the state.
i.i x
oeuives saiu mere were aooui
900 crimes on campus last year.
The majority were crimes
against property, being, theft
and larceny.
For more information on camires
77-7726
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rareness
.
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ROBERT WAUON The Gamecock
hen they need to mobilize quickiy.
pus safety and related programs,
the division of law
enforcement and safety and the
oince oi Lrime Awareness can be
contacted in the Byrnes building
at 777-8400.
For more information on getting
involved in campus safety
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cerns, you can contact Housing
and Security at 777-7806 or
Student Government at 7772654.
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