Nov. 19, 2020
University of Arizona Police Department Issues Annual Campus Safety Statistics
TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of Arizona Police Department has released the 2020 campus crime report, detailing reported personal and property crimes on campus and other property controlled by the university during the years 2017-2019. The statistics are part of the annual Campus Safety, Security and Fire Report, released today.
Reports of dating violence on the university's Tucson campus in 2019 matched 2018 numbers at three, and reports of stalking stayed even at four, while domestic violence reports nearly doubled from 16 in 2018 to 31 in 2019.
Overall reports of sexual offenses increased in 2019, with rape reports at 40, compared to 14 in 2018. Reports of fondling increased from four in 2018 to 10 in 2019. Reports of aggravated assault remained the same in 2019 as 2018 at 11, robbery reports remained even at five, and arson increased from one reported incident to two. Burglary had the most reports at 62, up 21 from 2018. Motor vehicle thefts decreased by more than half, from 33 to 14.
The University of Arizona Police Department works to maintain a safe and secure environment where everyone feels comfortable, according to UAPD Chief Brian Seastone.
"We understand these are challenging times for many and there may be apprehension about reporting incidents to us," Seastone said. "It is important for us to know when and where a crime occurs for a number of reasons. We want to ensure individuals receive help and support through our various resources available on and off campus and we can focus in on a particular area if we see a pattern of crime or concern."
The LiveSafe app lets students and employees report crimes via phone or text, and alert UAPD to situations or people they think could be dangerous. They also can call the Safe Ride service to get a ride home or use the app to allow friends to track their movements online.
Liquor law disciplinary actions increased from 624 in 2018 to 791 in 2019, and drug law disciplinary actions more than doubled from 64 in 2018 to 146 in 2019.
Liquor, drug and weapon offenses are tracked both through arrest and disciplinary statistics. The Dean of Students Office finds that diverting liquor law arrests to educational interventions is effective in helping students recognize the individual short- and long-term consequences and impact on the university community. Diversion programs are only available for nonviolent misdemeanor offenses.
"University of Arizona students are referred to the Dean of Students Office by the Pima County Attorney's Office or UAPD," said Vice Provost of Campus Life and Dean of Students Kendal Washington White. "Upon successful completion of the diversion program, the student will not have a criminal record related to the misdemeanor offense but will instead have an understanding of how their behavior impacts themselves, the university and the Tucson community. Our sanctions are effective, and our recidivism rates are quite low. Our goal is to see them as young adults, help students to recognize their thinking errors, treat them as adults, and hold them accountable. College is a haven for students to spread their wings, explore their interests and develop relationships with people from around the world."
Now in its fifth year, the UAPD's Good Samaritan policy encourages students to call for medical help for intoxicated peers without fear of incurring criminal charges.
In accordance with U.S. Department of Education requirements, the University of Arizona main campus, University of Arizona Phoenix Biomedical Campus and University of Arizona Sierra Vista are split into separate reports. There was one report of motor vehicle theft in 2019 for the University of Arizona Phoenix Biomedical Campus and no reported crimes for the University of Arizona Sierra Vista, formerly known as UA South. There were no reports of relationship violence or hate crimes for either campus.
The report is a federal requirement under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, which mandates that all American universities receiving federal funds must publicize their policies covering campus law enforcement, means of reporting crimes and statistics for reports of criminal offenses. The data in the report is compiled from several sources and therefore can be duplicative. Data sources include UAPD, the Dean of Students Office, Counseling & Psych Services, Housing & Residential Life and Campus Security Authorities. The 2020 report can be found on the UAPD website.
Media contacts:
Holly Jensen
University Communications
520-626-9422
hollyjensen@arizona.edu
Pam Scott
University Communications
Office: 520-621-1951 | Cell: 509-570-4610
pscott@arizona.edu
The University of Arizona, a land-grant university with two independently accredited medical schools, is one of the nation's top 40 public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Established in 1885, the university is widely recognized as a student-centric university and has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. The university ranked in the top 20 in 2018 in research expenditures among all public universities, according to the National Science Foundation, and is a leading Research 1 institution with $687 million in annual research expenditures. The university advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships as a member of the Association of American Universities, the 65 leading public and private research universities in the U.S. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $4.1 billion annually. For the latest on the University of Arizona response to the novel coronavirus, visit the university's COVID-19 webpage.