Yale released its annual report on campus and fire security this Friday, showing significant increases in reported burglaries and sex offenses over the past year.
Sixty-nine burglaries and 26 incidents of forcible sex offenses — defined as rape and fondling — were reported on campus in 2015, increasing from respective totals of 33 and 17 in 2014. In campus residences, reported instances of burglaries and forcible sex offenses increased to 17 and 20 this year from 60 and 13 in 2014.
Deputy Vice President for Human Resources and Administration Janet Lindner notified the campus community of the report’s completion via an email. Crime statistics displayed in the report were collected from reports released by the Yale Police Department and the New Haven police, as well as incidents recorded by University officials with knowledge of complaints and disciplinary referrals.
Moderate increases in reports of on-campus robbery and motor vehicle theft were also reported this year. The report also provides data for the University’s West campus, where the only crime recorded since 2013 has been one count of stalking.
This is the second report completed since the US Congress reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA. which has since significantly expanded reporting requirements for colleges in regards to sexual violence. Prior to VAWA’s reauthorization, incidences of sexual violence were categorized either as forcible or non-forcible in reports required by the Clery Act, and are now also reported in more specific categories of rape, fondling, statutory rape, and incest.
VAWA also mandates the separate reporting of offenses including domestic violence and dating violence. No counts of domestic violence were reported in 2015, decreasing from 6 on campus and 4 in campus residences in 2014. However, eight incidences of dating violence were reported on campus in both 2014 and 2015. In campus residences, reports of dating violence jumped from three in 2014 to eight in 2015.
The University prepared the report in order to comply with the requirements of the Federal Jeanne Clery Act. Under the Clery Act, higher education institutions receiving federal funding must make data about crimes in and around campus publicly available, and provide the campus community with a timely warning when a criminal incident occurs. At Yale, this obligation is fulfilled by messages sent to the community from Ronnell Higgins, chief of Yale Police and director of public safety.
Arrests decreased for on-campus drug abuse and liquor law violations, while disciplinary actions for liquor law violations increased and drug related actions decreased.