Despite stepping up its crime prevention strategies, the University faced a 13-percent overall increase in crime last year, even as the city saw an overall decrease in crime.
The number of reported incidents at the University in 1999 totaled 418, compared to 370 for 1998.
In each category except for rape, which decreased to one from two incidents, the number of crimes increased.
The categories of crime included in the statistics are homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft.
Despite the University's crime increase, the overall crime rate for Charlottesville dropped 9 percent last year. The decline continues a downward trend for the eighth straight year.
|
Part One Crime, consisting of crimes such as homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, larceny and motor vehicle assault, was down 27 percent overall. This category experienced the largest decline in 1999.
University Police Chief Michael Sheffield said he thinks the increase in crime this year in part is because the crime rate has decreased over the last several years.
"You get to a point where you bottom out - you reach the lowest level you can go," Sheffield said.
He said he hopes some of the initiatives begun by Student Council will help promote safety on Grounds.
Council provided a report on student safety in November, with recommendations including cutting back trees, installing more blue-light emergency phones and increasing lighting in areas that are lit poorly.
Sheffield said there has been a trend in recent years showing that when Charlottesville crime rates decrease, University crime rates increase.
He said this happens because of displacement, in which the city takes a "harder approach" to crime and criminals end up on University property.
Charlottesville Mayor Virginia Daugherty said despite progress, improvement still is needed.
"Things are not exactly as we would like, but they're on their way to making people have a safer feeling in the city," Daugherty said.
Charlottesville Police Chief J.W. "Buddy" Rittenhouse said the crime decrease is especially encouraging since the city police is understaffed.
Read More
Honor Committee considers formal ban of AI detectors as evidence in trials
By Lexie Stadler | 11 hours agoThe Committee also addressed balancing student perspectives with those of Committee representatives during panel discussions.
Pro-Palestinian protesters form encampment near University Chapel
By CD News Staff | 12 hours agoThe encampment overlapped with a separate “May Day” protest on the Lawn, which was hosted by student activist group U.Va. Dissenters and the U.Va. Apartheid Divest Coalition.
Another aggravated assault incident reported to UPD
By Thomas Baxter | 12 hours agoThis is the first community alert of May.
