2008 Woodie Awards
PSUC sees increase in assaults, burglaries
University Police statistics show increase of campus assault and burglary since '05
Megan Munroe
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: News
Originally published: 10/11/07 at 6:14 PM EST
Last update: 10/11/07 at 11:49 PM EST
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The number of incidents of forcible sex offenses, aggravated assaults and burglaries rose sharply on the Plattsburgh State campus in 2006, according to University Police statistics released late last month.
There were, however, no incidents of arson, negligent and non-negligent manslaughter, non-forcible sex offenses or robbery, according to the statistics.
The biggest change is seen in the number of burglaries on campus - 32 in 2004, 35 in 2005, and 50 in 2006.
Of the 50 burglaries, 35 were in residence halls. In 2005, 31 burglaries were reported in residence halls, and in 2006, just 20.
Burglary statistics were affected by a change in the categorization of crimes, however.
For a crime to qualify as a burglary, it must be stolen from an area "determined to have limited access," UP Lt. Francis Salvamoser said.
It doesn't mean more was stolen in general, but that more was stolen from areas found to be of limited access - such as residence halls.
In 2004, there was only one incident of aggravated assault.
That number remained the same for 2005, but reached 4 incidents in 2006.
The number of forcible sex offenses was once on the decline - dropping to 4 in 2005 from 9 in 2004. For 2006, 10 incidents of forcible sex offenses were reported.
UP Assistant Chief Jerry Lottie said the numbers are too low to tell if there is cause for concern - it took just three incidents to quadruple the number of aggravated assaults. "Our numbers are so low that one or two incidents can skew our statistics from one year to another," he said.
A number of other variables, including the University Police department's "concentrated efforts" to improve its effectiveness and efficiency, could be behind the change in numbers, he said.
Forcible sex offenses have always been an underreported crime, Lottie said. But efforts to increase awareness and make young women feel safe in reporting sexual assaults - including the addition of an officer in Whiteface Hall and more officers and resident assistants patrolling the campus and buildings - would result in an increased number of reports, though not necessarily an increased number of assaults, Lottie said.
There were, however, no incidents of arson, negligent and non-negligent manslaughter, non-forcible sex offenses or robbery, according to the statistics.
The biggest change is seen in the number of burglaries on campus - 32 in 2004, 35 in 2005, and 50 in 2006.
Of the 50 burglaries, 35 were in residence halls. In 2005, 31 burglaries were reported in residence halls, and in 2006, just 20.
Burglary statistics were affected by a change in the categorization of crimes, however.
For a crime to qualify as a burglary, it must be stolen from an area "determined to have limited access," UP Lt. Francis Salvamoser said.
It doesn't mean more was stolen in general, but that more was stolen from areas found to be of limited access - such as residence halls.
In 2004, there was only one incident of aggravated assault.
That number remained the same for 2005, but reached 4 incidents in 2006.
The number of forcible sex offenses was once on the decline - dropping to 4 in 2005 from 9 in 2004. For 2006, 10 incidents of forcible sex offenses were reported.
UP Assistant Chief Jerry Lottie said the numbers are too low to tell if there is cause for concern - it took just three incidents to quadruple the number of aggravated assaults. "Our numbers are so low that one or two incidents can skew our statistics from one year to another," he said.
A number of other variables, including the University Police department's "concentrated efforts" to improve its effectiveness and efficiency, could be behind the change in numbers, he said.
Forcible sex offenses have always been an underreported crime, Lottie said. But efforts to increase awareness and make young women feel safe in reporting sexual assaults - including the addition of an officer in Whiteface Hall and more officers and resident assistants patrolling the campus and buildings - would result in an increased number of reports, though not necessarily an increased number of assaults, Lottie said.
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