Penn's Division of Public Safety released its 2024 Annual Security & Fire Safety Report in September.
The report, which includes statistics from 2021 through 2023, found a significant decrease in alcohol-related disciplinary referrals and a rise in motor vehicle theft, among other trends. It includes information on both violent and non-violent crime statistics, health and safety procedures around campus, and university safety resources. The report is published yearly in accordance with The Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to report campus crime data, support victims, and publicly outline their preventative procedures.
The DPS declined The Daily Pennsylvanian's request for comment.
According to the report, the number of disciplinary referrals due to liquor-law violations has dramatically decreased since 2021, when they peaked at 445 referrals. In 2022, there were 136 violations, and just 110 in 2023. This represents about a 75% decrease in referrals, the most drastic drop of any crime statistic across all categories.
Beyond disciplinary referrals, there were 85 instances of motor vehicle theft in 2023, an increase from 58 and 40 cases in 2022 and 2021, respectively. However, a vast majority of these crimes occurred on public property across all three years, including 77 of the cases in 2023.
Other categories of crimes and violations, including arson, remained relatively stable. Additionally, cases of aggravated assault and robbery were far more prevalent on public property than on campus, reflecting similar trends to motor vehicle theft.
The report also includes several resources for student safety, including contact information for Fire & Emergency Services and the Penn Police Detective Unit, as well as a series of resources pertaining to campus safety and health procedures. The report also explains how to report a crime, fire, hazardous conditions, and other serious behavior to the proper authorities.
As the University of Pennsylvania Almanac’s Weekly Crime Report displays, a high number of crimes take place on Spruce, Locust, Walnut, and Chestnut streets. To combat this, the DPS patrol zone stretches from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30th Street to 43rd Street, covering campus and nearby blocks to best protect students.
This year's report does not include crime data from 2024, during which student disciplinary incidents increased amid a year of heightened campus activism.
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