Reports of on-campus crime at Georgetown University and the surrounding neighborhoods increased from 2023 to 2024, according to the annual security report published Sept. 29.
The report found that across Georgetown’s campuses in Washington, D.C., from 2023 to 2024, incidents increased approximately 22% from 117 to 143. The report, published by the Georgetown University Office of Public Safety, is federally mandated by the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, which requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to disclose crime data on and near each university’s campus as well as steps and resources students should utilize to remain safe.
The number of rape, stalking and dating violence incidents on campus increased from 22 to 28, and the number of robberies, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts increased from 17 to 36.
The report said incidents of aggravated assault and arson dropped from 4 to 0 from 2023 to 2024. Disciplinary referrals for alcohol, which are included as incidents within the report, also dropped from 64 to 44.
A university spokesperson said Georgetown continues to prioritize the safety of its students and explained that the university takes the appropriate action to bolster surveillance when there is an increase of incidents on campus.
“The safety of our community is our top priority,” the spokesperson told The Hoya. “In addition to daily patrols across both the Hilltop and Capitol Campus, when there is an increase in safety incidents anywhere on campus, the Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD) and Capitol Campus Department of Public Safety (DPS) increases patrols out of an abundance of caution and takes appropriate steps to ensure the safety of the community.”
In addition to publishing an annual crime report, Georgetown and other universities that comply with the Clery Act are also required to issue timely safety warnings to students when crimes occur near campus as well as publish monthly crime logs.
Joseph Kanjiramkuzhey (SOH ’28), a student who was present when an intruder gained unlawful access to Darnall Hall on Aug. 25, 2024, said that, while the incident heightened his caution, he still feels relatively safe on campus as a result of a change in policy the university made.
“It was a bit concerning,” Kanjiramkuzhey told The Hoya. “However, the university did make some policy changes and enforced a security guard in the lobby, which assured that people that were not students didn’t get access to the dorm rooms, which I think showcases that Georgetown does make that effort.”
Kanjiramkuzhey added that there are times when the campus feels less safe and said students such as himself who study at late hours on campus often find themselves more concerned when walking home.
“At one or two in the morning, it can feel a bit silent and lonely on campus, and that scares some students,” Kanjiramkuzhey said. “There is some concern that there might be people on campus late at night that might not actually be students, which my friends have brought up before.”
Hailey Brown (CAS ’28), a student living in Kennedy Hall, said her proximity to the center of campus has made her feel much more comfortable from a safety perspective.
“I think that’s based on where I live, because now I live more central to campus, so I’ve heard less about bad things happening in my dorm hall now than last year,” Brown told The Hoya. “I think if you’re deeper into campus, it’s just safer to be with more students and more things going on.”
Kanjiramkuzhey said witnessing the unlawful entry last year helped him realize the role both students and the university play in staying safe on campus.
“That was the moment where I realized that sometimes there’s only so much that a university can do,” Kanjiramkuzhey said. “There is a responsibility among students to keep themselves and others safe.”
