If you think you or your friends have been the victim of non-academic violence, you have the right and the obligation to report this problem to your Campus Security Authority. Keeping the campus a safe and secure place is a top priority for any University. In doing so, they need all the help they can get from students like yourself who might have witnessed a crime. Not sure whether or not to report an incident? Worry not, this article is here to help you. Here is a list of things happening on campus that you should denounce immediately.
Everybody Can Help Make a Change
The “Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act” reporting on-campus crimes has never been easier. This federal law requires that all higher education institutions in the United States must disclose campus security and safety information. But of course, statistics and reports are not always enough. Because of this, if you are a student and you want to contribute to your campus’s security and well being of yourself and your friends and classmates, reporting on crimes or potential violations is a must.
Be on the Lookout for Any Criminal Activity
The first and most important thing you need to do to contribute to your campus’s security is to know what to report. Most crimes or violent incidents that happen on campus are non-academic. Any allegations regarding plagiarism or any type of academic cheating do not make the object of on-campus crimes that should be reported. What you should report are crimes regarding:
-illegal alcohol possession and use;
-vandalism of any type and property destruction or theft;
-possession of drugs and distribution;
-physical or verbal violence and harassment;
-any instance where the Code of Conduct of the University and the Campus is broken intentionally;
Reporting Non-Criminal Incidents
Next to all the criminal incidents you might have witnessed or suspect to happen, there are other incidents, just as important, that must be reported immediately:
-accidents where there are victims involved that require medical assistance (uncontrolled and unplanned events such as falling off a bike, falling on ice, and so on);
-property loss (losing or having a personal item go missing);
-any instance where somebody on the campus premises might require first aid help;
-an unplanned action that might result in the injury or damage of one’s life or well-being;
-intruders that fail to legitimate themselves;
-wild animals;
The lists for both criminal and non-criminal related instances can go on, and it is your duty as a university student and campus resident to inform yourself about your school’s criminal statistics, its laws and regulations, and the contact persons for all these accidents.
Finally, it would be best if you remembered that your safety and that of those living on campus with you is at stake. But luckily, you are not alone in this battle. A New Mexico criminal lawyer can help answer all your questions regarding any things that happen on-campus that you should be aware of and that you should report.
