Crime Levels Remain Relatively Unchanged

Crime levels at Harvard remained largely steady last year overall, although the campus registered increases in sexual assault and robbery charges, according to statistics released yesterday.

The number of on-campus forcible sex offenses rose to 16 last year after holding steady at 11 in 1998 and 1999, and the number of auto thefts and robbery complaints each rose by three.

The number of burglaries held steady at 439, down from a high of more than 500 in 1998.

The crime statistics were made public yesterday by the Department of Education, which for the past three years has collected and posted crime data for schools receiving federal funds for financial aid.

Steven G. Catalano, Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) spokesperson, said the rise in certain crime categories mirrors a national trend.

“We could excuse it by saying that crime is increasing all across the country, but we are always going to strive to prevent crime through partnerships with the community and problem-solving,” he said.

He said HUPD has in recent years made an effort to build relationships with students, faculty and other community members.

“As we build trust with the community relationships, people may feel more comfortable reporting crimes and that can be somewhat more significant in sex offense cases,” Catalano said.

Despite HUPD’s efforts, sexual assaults continue to be underreported, Catalano said.

Although reported robberies were up, fewer of them occurred in residential halls. Most robberies are committed by people outside of the University, Catalano said.

He said HUPD stresses preventative measures like staying on well-lit paths and traveling in groups as the main tools to curb the number of robberies.

HUPD received the same number of burglary reports last year as in 1999 and had fewer alleged aggravated assaults, with charges dropping from six to two.

“The vast majority of our crime is property crime,” Catalano said. “A lot of the property crime occurs because people leave their property unattended and they don’t lock their doors, or they leave their property unattended in the library.”

Last year, HUPD arrested six people on campus because of drug violations and two for illegal weapons possession. Overall, the number of liquor law violations presented before the Administrative Board dropped by nine to 77, and drug violation cases fell from eight to three.

Catalano said the majority of drug- or alcohol-related arrests are of people not affiliated with the University—HUPD refers most student cases to the Ad Board. “There are times that the Administrative Board is the more appropriate response,” he said.