Liquor law violations, drug law violations, and motor vehicle thefts have all increased by more than 300 percent at American River College last year, according to the recently released “Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act Report.”
With 20 drug arrests, 9 liquor arrests and 13 vehicle thefts reported, ARC has the second-highest non-hate-related crime rate in the Los Rios Community College District, trailing Sacramento City College.
However, when compared to the rest of the district, ARC remains one of the safest campuses when it comes to sexual or aggravated assaults. Neither crime was reported on campus in 2010.
The Clery report tracks a variety of criminal offenses including burglary, illegal weapon possession, arson and robbery. Both burglary and illegal weapon possession were down by 75 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
According to Captain Chris Day of the ARC Police Department, the drug violations mostly involved marijuana. There are many students who possess medical marijuana prescriptions, meaning they can legally possess marijuana in California. Captain Day made it a point to remind students that marijuana is still not allowed on campus.
The Clery report is named for 19-year-old Jeanne Ann Clery, who was raped and murdered in her Lehigh University dorm room in Bethlehem, Pa., on April 5, 1986. Jeanne’s parents, Connie and Howard Clery, had discovered that 38 violent crimes had been committed on campus in the three years preceding their daughter’s rape and murder.
Clery’s parents and parents of other Lehigh students were never made aware of crime statistics prior to having their children enrolled in the university.
In reaction to Clery’s death, her parents joined with crime victims from other colleges and universities and worked with Congress to enact the “Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990,” renamed the “Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act Report” in memory of Clery.
The law requires every college and university to produce a timely warning to campus communities about crimes that may pose a threat to students, professors and administration. The United States Department of Education may fine schools if they are non-compliant.