Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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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 ? * * i * :j ] i 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 u.. J : Tc 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. A J: i. _ TV TT ' 1. A ^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 anr*rl f K a r*\r\r*\r **a4- r? 4"ia4- a 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 -f- - - 1. * J _1 aie is to avoia snoricuLS trough alleys or parking lots, tay in well-lit and well-travG< Join u 19,1998 The Qa n begins ided by desire. If someone has there is nothing we can do .1 x -x !i_. II 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 imecock Feati is by calling 7 mecock with an / > 1|| M r v ? 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 > rareness . ?y.?r :;^M 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 r.fArrramQ Ar VAi/?inrr \rniit* oam piugiaiuo, vi tviviug jvui wii" cerns, you can contact Housing and Security at 777-7806 or Student Government at 7772654. %< v ^ , .. f . ... "/ < v