Though UCLA is considered by many students to be a safe campus,
a series of crimes in Westwood since Dec. 15, 2005, have some
concerned. Recent statistics show at least a three-year trend of
increased crime in the UCLA area, but a decline in many crimes on
campus.
According to a U.S. Department of Education report, UCLA saw
on-campus burglary and motor vehicle theft increase, though saw
decreases in on-campus aggravated assault and forcible sex
offenses. Off campus, reports of aggravated assault increased along
with liquor law violations.
From 2002 to 2004, the number of off-campus aggravated assaults
jumped from three to 11, and there were 183 on-campus burglaries
reported in 2004 alone.
In the same time period, on-campus aggravated assaults dropped
from 22 to 7, and forcible sex offenses on campus were halved, from
16 to 8.
The campus also saw a drop in robberies, from six to one, and a
steady rate of burglary, from 182 reports in 2002 to 183 in
2004.
The statistics show a drop in crimes on campus and an increase
in crime near campus, with few exceptions.
However, other local universities have witnessed a decrease in
these same areas.
USC reported 107 burglaries in 2002, and after only 91 were
reported in 2003, the number dropped to 48 in 2004, less than half
of the 2002 level.
But Nancy Greenstein, director of police community services,
said these changes in crime are common.
“Crime statistics always go up and down,” Greenstein
said. “It’s just the nature of the business. It’s
really hard to say why some stats increase while others
decrease.”
Greenstein also said the increase in off-campus aggravated
assaults is due to increased reporting of conflicts between people
who know each other.
“Because of UCPD programs, people are starting to feel
more comfortable reporting about situations where they know their
attacker,” she said.
Greenstein said university police is always developing new
programs to better campus security.
University police are focusing on working with several groups,
including UCLA Housing and the UCLA Center for Women and Men, to
reach a larger audience to increase security and safety at UCLA,
Greenstein said.
But local homeowners have expressed concern over the lack of
enforcement of many other laws not categorized under violent or
larcenous crimes.
“Laws such as hours of operation, signage, underage
serving of alcohol and occupancy have not been enforced strictly
enough,” said Sandy Brown, president of the Hombly-Westwood
Property Owners Association. “We feel that the area is very
safe, and we want to keep it that way.”
Steve Wilson, public safety officer at USC, said crime decreased
by 26 percent between 2003 and 2004 at USC, and the university has
been working with local police on crime prevention.
Wilson said the use of High Illumination Deterrent Enforcement
““ or patrol cars riding down dark streets with all of their
lights on ““ has assisted police in the reduction of motor
vehicle theft, robberies and burglaries.