--snip--
I've noticed a large discrepancy between the VCU alerts I get and the crime listings that have been posted in this thread. Is VCU only required to report on crimes against VCU students or is it based on where the crime occurs and how close to campus it is? Or is it based on the severity of the crime? I'd hate to think that my university it trying to down play the amount of local crime (though it wouldn't surprise me).
Campus crime reports - the McClary Act, federal standards
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clery_Act
The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting
http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf
How to Identify Your On-campus Geography - 34 CFR 668.46(a)
This is where VCU gets its "wiggle room". It is
not on campus if the crime did not occur on property specifically owned by or leased by the university...and that stops at the sidewalk or curb line of this very urban campus. It is off campus virtually every city block once you get to the sidewalk or curb line. Monroe Park (city owned) is off campus, 7-11, restaurants, alleys, streets, even sidewalks at perimeter of VCU property are off campus. Even properties acquired by "friends of VCU" for future expansion are off campus.
Look at a detailed map of VCU buildings. The lot on which the building sits and the building itself are on-campus, the adjoining properties are not unless also owned/leased by VCU. The only miniscule "campus" is approximately 4 city blocks in the center of VCU and even then the streets are city property, the front sidewalks are a gray area - the rest is a checker board of yes & no.
The VCU-MCV complex in downtown Richmond is much larger, but complicated in that MCV is a special category designated as an
Authority by the state = as in a separate municipality/city + the buildings have a dual purpose of school(?) and community hospital. I have
never seen MCV area crime reported under the McClary Act. BTW - the police department for MCV is one and the same as for the academic (Monroe Park) campus. Google "MCV hospital , reporting under the McClary Act" or similar and you will draw a blank, nothing, nada.
Considering the above, do you begin to see the problem? The McClary Act functions best in a stereotyped, sprawling, acreage campus.
VCU takes full advantage of their unique real estate footprint to avoid/not include crimes that are technically off-campus. They IMO spin the numbers and hide behind smoke and mirrors. I'm not exactly sure they even report all of those that do/should qualify. Again IMO - your safety is
not their primary concern. Looking good is.
