Bok Forms Study Group To Combat Violent Crime

President Bok has formed a standing committee to study violent crimes in the Harvard community, the Administration announced Monday.

The committee will analyze recent data on an apparent increase in Harvard-area armed violence, and suggest possible security improvements.

Rising Crime Rate

Harvard Police statistics show that seven armed robberies and 16 incidents of assaults and battery have been reported so far this team, compared with two robberies and six assaults from September to November, 1972.

Administration officials created the committee about 12 days ago, before the Saturday night murder of Radcliffe Fellow Ethel P. Higonnet, Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University and a committee member, said yesterday.

Stephen S.J. Hall, administrative vice president, will chair the committee. Other members include Radcliffe President Horner; Charles U. Daly, vice president for community affairs; James Vorenberg, director of the Center for Criminal Justice; Captain of the Center Francis Pisani of the Cambridge Police Department; and Captain George Walsh and Lieutenant George Hill of the Harvard police.

Steiner, Daly and Vorenberg spent several hours late Monday night walking the entire Harvard campus to observe police patrols, street lightning, and pedestrian pathways, Vorenberg said yesterday.

"It would be a mistake to begin action on what has happened in the last five months before having a clear idea of exactly what happened, and that is exactly what we don't have. That's why we've been out walking the streets, as well as gathering statistics," Vorenberg said.

In its first meeting Monday afternoon, the committee discussed the need for policing and lighting the Boston side of the John W. Weeks Bridge. Police Lt. Hill said several students have been assaulted there while en route to their cars in the Business School parking lot.

"Ironically, two students were mugged there that same night, after our meeting," Hill said.

Walsh believes the biggest obstacle to stopping Harvard crime is educating students to take measures to protect themselves.