In the past two weeks, Hopkins security has reported an armed robbery of Royal Farms, attacks of two students walking on N. Charles St. and continued indecent exposures incidents in close proximity with Homewood campus.
And these are just the major crimes.
With Baltimore recently rated the "Fifth Most Dangerous City in the U.S." by the Morgan Quito Awards' ninth annual ranking of America's Safest (and Most Dangerous) Cities, is the student body really safe, both on and off campus?
Daily crime listings on the Hopkins security Web site, weekly reports from the Baltimore City Police Department and annual Security Reports published by the University seem to show that danger is lurking around every corner, and definitely every convenience store.
But with heightened security measures and a conscious effort to maintain a level of safety, Hopkins might not be as bad as it seems or even as bad as newspapers like to print.
According to the 2002 crime report that will be published Oct. 1 under the Jeanne Cleary Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the total number of crimes reported in 2002 dropped significantly from those reported in 2001. A major contribution to overall crime statistics in 2001, burglaries and robberies died down last year.
Ronald Mullen, Director of Security at Hopkins, said that the biggest problem this campus should be concerned with is petty theft. Surprisingly, residence halls are not the prime target. The majority of thefts take place outside in open areas and in campus buildings other than the dorms. Wallets, cellular phones, laptop computers and JCards are all easy to grab when left unattended in book bags in the library or in some of the open cubicles at the athletic center.
Susan Boswell, Dean of Student Life, feels that part of the increased anxiety is due to an increased vulnerability in students during the first few weeks of school. First-timers to the campus, or those back from a long vacation, aren't as conscientious in their new environment, especially an urban one.
Eye-catching and heart-stopping reports on robberies and attacks cause many to question how safe they are, but students shouldn't look at isolated incidents; overall statistics present a much more calming image of campus crime rates.
"When you consider the size and complexity of Homewood campus and its practically 24/7, 365 day operation 200 petty larcenies is not too bad," Mullen said.
More alarming for students is the recent surge in assaults and sex offenses; or rather, what seems like a recent surge. Although these crimes are more widely discussed among students and present a level of alarm, especially for female students, the overall rate of reported assault and sexual offense crimes remains low.
According to Susan Boswell, Dean of Student Life, the Student Affairs office works with Security to spread campus-wide security alerts when students could be in danger. Resident Advisors are responsible for keeping students in the dorms aware not only of crimes, but also basic safety precautions.
What about off-campus? What about the fairly regular occurrence of robberies of Royal Farms and the level of uncertainty as to whether or not you can really feel safe walking home to your apartment on St. Paul or University Parkway after class or a late study session at the library?
Mullen maintains that Hopkins Security has a working relationship with Baltimore Police Department, and that Investigator Dennis Rosemary visits the Northern District of the Department every morning to make sure that all parties are aware of crimes reported both on and off campus.
Mullen also stresses that students should focus on the positive, rather than the negative, aspects of Charles Village and other surrounding areas.
"Charles Village and our other neighboring communities are viable and thriving. There are life long residents, many of who work for Hopkins, and visitors alike who thoroughly enjoy living here and playing here. We want our students to do the same," he said.
According to Mullen, the Hopkins Security Department works as additional eyes and ears for the Baltimore Police Department, and both have worked together to successfully reduce crime in the surrounding communities in the past several years.
"When you look at all of our crime data and the where and how of the crimes committed, the chances of any one individual becoming a victim of crime either on campus or off is actually small," Mullen said.
Boswell agrees that the level and/or prevalence of crime at Hopkins is not higher than any other school in a similar city setting.
"I do feel that Hopkins is a safe campus and I also believe that all campuses located in urban areas face the same issues we do," she said.
But this doesn't mean that students should walk around on campus without being aware of their surroundings and the potential for dangerous situations. Mullen stresses that students should exercise reasonable care and precaution while racing to and from class and the library.
Crimes on and around the Hopkins campus will continue, just as they would on any college campus. While Baltimore may not be the ideal college setting, the efforts taken by Hopkins Security, Student Affairs, and the Baltimore Police Department should reassure students that every precaution is being taken to keep the Hopkins community safe.
"Campus safety is everyone's job," Boswell said. "Student Affairs has always had a close working relationship with Security but it really takes everyone looking out for everyone else."
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