Crime & Bullying Prevention

Crime reports from universities in Chicago understate incidents

Statistics in school reports don't reflect the true level of crime near campuses because incidents that occur just off campus are excluded.
Feb. 10, 2016

Violent crime statistics compiled by colleges and universities in Chicago vastly understate the number of incidents that occur in and around the schools, an investigation contends.

NBC 5 Chicago reports that the numbers do not give an accurate impression of the level of crime around those campuses because the schools don't include many crimes that take place off campus in nearby neighborhoods.

As part of the Clery Act, higher-education institutions are required to submit a report on campus violent crime each year to the U.S. Department of Education.

The NBC investigation compared the reports for six Chicago universities with campus crime logs and police reports that include the two blocks surrounding the campuses, where many students live, work and socialize. For all schools, many violent crimes that occurred in the immediate vicinity of the campuses were excluded from the reports submitted to the U.S. Department of Education.

The institutions that were part of the investigation:

  • Loyola University
  • DePaul University
  • Illinois Institute of Technology
  • University of Illinois at Chicago
  • University of Chicago
  • Chicago State University

Video from NBC 5 Chicago:

About the Author

Mike Kennedy

Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy, senior editor, has written for AS&U on a wide range of educational issues since 1999.

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