Book Description

Violence, hate crimes, theft, drug possession, sexual harassment, concealed weapons, underage drinking, rape--along with many other major and minor offenses--plague all campuses. College and university staff, administrators and policy makers are under increasing parental and legislative pressure to demonstrate they have adopted measures to prevent crime and keep students safe. This book serves as a sourcebook to enhance and evaluate safety programs, generate new solutions and interventions, comply with new legislation, and present practical steps and guidelines to establish best practices. This book pays particular attention to the factors that may give rise to crime. It considers high-risk drinking and examines the intersection between hate crimes and violence. It devotes chapters to discrimination in all its forms--whether against international students, students of color, or on the basis of ethnicity or sexual orientation. It reviews the range of issues relating to harassment and violence against women; and engages with hazing and the presence of guns on campus. The authors pay attention to the different circumstances that may apply in specific institutional types, such as community colleges and minority-serving institutions. The book offers perspectives from administrators, campus security, student affairs personnel, faculty and policy makers; as well as a review of legal considerations. The purpose is to provide readers with the context and tools to devise a comprehensive safety plan. For administrators operating with few formal support systems, advice is given on how to co-opt individuals and resources from around the campus to assist in the common goal of maintaining a safe and welcoming campus.