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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
August 10, 2004
Contact: William J. Smith (718) 556-7150
District Attorney Donovan Urges Parents to Speak
to College-Bound Kids about Campus Safety
STATEN ISLAND, NY - As Labor Day approaches and the summer season comes to an end, college students nationwide start to pack their suitcases and head towards their respective campuses. For many of these young people, it will be their first time away from home as they start a new phase in their life. District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. is reminding our Staten Island college-bound youth, as well as their parents, to utilize certain safety precautions in order to be free of danger as they start the new academic year.
“Though this is an exciting time in the lives of many college students, we must all remember that safety is an integral and crucial aspect of student life in colleges all around the country”, stated District Attorney Donovan. “Given the possible danger facing all college students, especially those starting their first year, I am hoping that our youth can go to college equipped with the knowledge and resources to be safe while away at school”.
“I certainly do not want to alarm any parents during what is already an emotional event for parents and kids alike, but it is essential that they talk to their children and make sure that they have the necessary knowledge to survive and thrive in this new environment,” advised District Attorney Donovan. Recent statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Education show that in the 2002 school year, there were 3,601 sex offenses, 7,609 acts of robbery, and 7,846 acts of aggravated assault committed on campuses nationwide. Furthermore, in regards to substance abuse, there were 49,263 arrests for liquor law violations and 24,849 arrests for drug law violations on these campuses in the same year.
With this in mind, District Attorney Donovan offers these tips for parents to discuss with their college-bound kids:
-Be alert. Your safety depends mostly upon your own attitude and actions. Use common sense and do not place yourself in a location or situation to become a victim of a crime.
-If you use an answering machine or a voicemail system, do not announce your name and number as part of the message.
-Study the campus and neighborhood with respect to routes between your residence and class/activities schedule. Know where emergency phones are located.
-Always travel in groups. Use a shuttle service after dark. Never walk alone at night. Avoid “shortcuts”.
-Participate in personal safety and safety awareness programs. University police and safety awareness groups frequently conduct programs that promote crime resistance skills.
-Don’t leave personal property (purses, book bags, calculators, etc.) unattended in classrooms, study area, or libraries.
-Always lock your doors and windows at night. Never compromise your safety for a roommate who asks you to leave the door unlocked.
-Make sure someone knows when you leave and when to expect you back.
-Do not lend your keys to anyone and do not mark your key chain with your name and address. Lost keys can lead to theft.
-Do not let unfamiliar people into your room and call campus police if you see strangers loitering in or around the residence halls.
-Do not leave messages on your door that you are away and at what time you will return.
-Don’t let someone you hardly know take you home from a party. Don’t offer rides to such people either.
“I encourage Staten Island college students to keep
these precautions in mind before returning or embarking on their new
college careers this fall. As long as students are cautious and responsible,
they are bound to undergo a safe and educationally rewarding college
experience”, added District Attorney Donovan.
-end-