Pitt releases 2011 crime report

By Michael Ringling

The total number of crimes reported to University police, local police and University officials…The total number of crimes reported to University police, local police and University officials has decreased every year since 2009, according to the annual Clery Act Campus Security Report. .

Pitt released its Fall 2012 annual security and fire safety report last Thursday. Included in the report are crime statistics mandated for release by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

In terms of the crime rate index — a figure “based on the actual number of full-time equivalent students and employees, which is calculated according to a state-mandated formula” — the total number of reported offenses decreased from 3,171.21 in 2009 to 2,758.15 in 2010 to 2,475.53 in 2012.

During the year 2011, the most common infractions on campus were for liquor law violations, with 157 arrests, down from 169 in 2010. The number of on-campus disciplinary referrals for the same violation was 266 in 2011, 357 in 2010 and 330 in 2009.

The second most frequent reason for arrest was drug law violations, which accounted for 81 arrests, up from 39 in 2010 and 72 in 2009. There were 16 on-campus disciplinary referrals in 2011 for drug law violations, down from 20 in 2010.

There were three reported aggravated assaults on campus in 2011 and two in both 2010 and 2009. There were 16 aggravated assaults on public property reported in 2011, nine in 2010 and 13 in 2009. There were four instances of forcible sexual offenses, down from seven last year. The total number of on-campus nonforcible sexual offenses has remained at zero for the past three years.

There have been no reports of murder or negligent manslaughter, neither on campus nor off campus, in the past three years.

Pitt spokesman Robert Hill expressed his happiness with the results of the report in an email.

“We are glad to see a downward trend of the overall Uniform Crime rate index over the last three years, although various units in the University continue to look at ways to address criminal and other issues related to substance abuse,” Hill said.

Students can view the full Clery Act report at http://www.safety.pitt.edu/campuscrimeReport/index.html.