Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Campus Crime Rose 7% in 2008, DPS Report Says

Reported crime on campus rose last year for the first time since 2004 and alcohol violations more than doubled, according to the Department of Public Safety’s annual crime report released Thursday.

According to the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Report, total of 257 on-campus crimes were reported to DPS in 2008, an increase of 6.6 percent from 241 in 2007. DPS issued 1,335 alcohol violations (which are not counted in the overall crime totals), a 161 percent increase from 512 in 2007. Last year’s total was the highest on available record; 2002 was the earliest year for which data was available on [the DPS Web site](https://publicsafety.georgetown.edu/incidentreporting/12881.html).

Former DPS Associate Director [Doris Bey told The Hoya last year that in 2007](https://www.thehoya.com/news/reported-crime-dips-5-percent/), only violations of D.C. law were reported as alcohol violations, as opposed to previous years, when violations of university policy were also counted. It was unclear whether violations of university policy were included in last year’s totals.

DPS and university safety officials were unavailable for comment last night.

Thefts, by far the most common type of crime, rose from 213 in 2007 to 230 last year, an 8 percent increase. Thefts declined in on-campus residences, from 54 to 20, and at Georgetown University Medical Center, from 18 to 3.

There were seven forcible sexual offenses last year – the most since 2004, when there were 18.

Overall, burglaries – defined as thefts involving unlawful entry – decreased from 20 to 16, the lowest total on record since 2002. On-campus residences were burglarized seven times, as compared to 19 times in 2007, but burglaries in non-residential buildings rose from one to nine.

The campus crime numbers include crimes reported on the main campus, at Georgetown University Medical Center and at Georgetown University Conference Center. In addition to the on-campus numbers, DPS also reported two forcible sexual offenses and one burglary off campus, and eight crimes – including two forcible sexual offenses – in “public” areas.

This year’s report included detailed statistics on hate crimes for the first time. In 2008, DPS received reports of one simple assault and three incidents of intimidation that were classified as hate crimes. One act of intimidation occurred in an on-campus residence.

Reported crime at the Law Center nearly doubled, from 20 incidents in 2007 to 37 last year. Thefts saw the largest increase, from 18 to 32.

[Violent crime in the District has decreased by 5 percent this year as compared to the same period last year, and homicides have dropped 29 percent](https://www.thehoya.com/news/dc-violent-crime-drops/). Georgetown has historically seen among the lowest crime rates in the city.

The rise in crime comes despite [new safety initiatives rolled out last year](https://www.thehoya.com/news/dps-revamps-security-measures/), including the Adopt-a-Cop program, officers patrolling on bicycles and a new DPS substation in LXR Hall.”

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