Diamond Jenkins
Blue & White Flash / Associate Editor
Campus crime and public safety have been the recent topics of discussion at Jackson State University. The newest crime wave seems to involve theft, particularly of iPads.
Following the November student government association meeting and after a local television story about robbery and theft, more emphasis seems to be focused on awareness and being able to differentiate students from non-students. Beginning in January 2013, all faculty, staff and students must have their JSU IDs visible.
Jessica Knight, a senior biology major from Chicago, Ill. said, “I am a night student. I commute from Vicksburg and to see strangers at night walking around asking for money, it is creepy. I don’t want to come to school and deal with that.”
Chief Thomas Albright, interim director of Department of Public Safety at JSU, stated that DPS is doing all it can to decrease campus crime.
“We are more visible than we have been. The public safety department is doing its part to assure that we develop more safety precautions for campus,” said Albright.
Recently DPS issued a crime alert dealing with theft and protecting personal property. The alert urged students and others to not allow individuals to use your cell phone, not to carry large amounts of cash, to always lock doors and not provide opportunity for theft by leaving vehicles or valuables unattended. Individuals also were urged to report crimes as soon as they happen to appropriate authorities.
A JSU public safety official reported that iPads have been the highest case of items stolen even though the iPads are disabled when reported stolen. Judicial Services added that there has also been an increase in the number of disorderly conduct and alcohol and drug cases.
JSU’s groundbreaking iPad project, sponsored through a partnership with the Mississippi e-Center Foundation, gave all first-time, full-time JSU freshmen an iPad to assist in their learning. The program, called the iPad Technology Advantage Scholarship Initiative, is being used to integrate the device into the curriculum, and will track students’ learning through an intensive two-year study. However, some students who have iPads have been targeted by thieves.
Ta’Keisha Hoyle, a freshman criminal justice major from Ashland, Miss. and a friend were both robbed at gunpoint of their iPads in the McAllister/Transitional parking lot last month.
“I feel that JSU Public Safety sucks. They seemed unconcerned about what had just happened to us and there was no sense of urgency by them to go find the perpetrators. They took their time.”
She added that even though it only took one day to get a replacement iPad, DPS has not followed up or contacted her with any updates.
“I feel that the only reason that campus police is issuing crime alerts now is because it was brought to the attention of the media,” said Hoyle.
Another JSU student also shared his experience with being a victim of campus crime.
“I was on the plaza and I was jumped by about seven people who did not look to be students. They took everything I had and it was a very humiliating experience,” said the sophomore history major from Jackson, Miss. who asked not to be named.
SGA Chief Justice Jeremy Sanford believes that students should know that there are serious consequences for committing crimes on campus.
“The SGA has actively been getting handbooks to students explaining the consequences of certain offenses on campus. We have found that many are unaware of the penalties and sanctions of theft.”
Other freshmen feel that more needs to be done to inform students of what to do when they are victims of crime on campus.
Marquis Patterson, a freshman criminal justice major from Greenwood, Miss., said: “As a freshman, I am new to knowing what to do if I get something stolen on campus. After attending the SGA meeting I know a lot more. My classmates should be more careful with leaving their iPads around and having them out all the time.
Lasondra Granderson, a graduate forensics major from Mobile, Ala. said, “If we don’t have enough safety guidelines on campus then more and more students will be victims of robberies. It seems like, as of late, I have been hearing more stories about students having items stolen from them.”
To communicate vital information campus wide to students, faculty and staff before, during and after hazardous events — including acts of violence, dangerous weather, natural disasters, and public health emergencies, JSU has implemented the Everbridge Aware for Campus Alerts Emergency Notification System (ENS. All students are urged to sign up to receive important alerts and updates.
According to campussafetymagazine.com, the violence at HBCUs typically involves a non-enrolled person and an enrolled student. The majority of these confrontations take place off-campus. Going back at least 25 years, there has been a significant increase in violence on American college campuses. HBCUs have not been spared.
Fortunately, HBCUs have not experienced the types of mass shootings that have occurred at predominately white institutions such as Virginia Tech.
Public Safety currently has 18-24 officers on duty per shift. To report a campus crime, contact the Department of Public safety at (601) 979-2580.
18-24 officers on duty per shift Whoa!!! I should see that many officers on campus at all.Tthat means some of them are hiding. Because honestly the only officer I see are the ones standing at the entrance booths. JSU really needs to take this serious. There are numerous of students who walks to and from parking lots,the library,and from night class every day. Especially since it will be getting dark early. My sugg estion is that students should be able to call por burgersublic safety to ask foran officer to walk with them to their destination whether its the library or burger king. Students should not be walking alone on this campus at night fall especially not female students. I also suggest that a on duty officer patrol the back parking lot at all times particularly at night