Most Dangerous College Campuses In America

The U.S. is rife with college campuses — not to mention danger and the various types of crimes that take place on said campuses. Much to the disappointment of police procedural television shows, most of the crime perpetrated on college campuses is of the thieving variety. The FBI's 2019 data of known U.S. crime by college and university shows high numbers among property crime, larceny, theft, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and robbery across the country, which are all effectively different words for stealing (or the prelude to stealing, in the case of burglary) someone else's belongings.

Though these schools all have large amounts of students and therefore may not seem that bad in comparison to schools with fewer students, this data covers only known, reported incidents. Many rapes, for example, are not reported; reports don't make their way through proper channels in time, or not at all (via National Sexual Violence Resource Center). Also, though the student population data from the FBI is from 2018, the FBI's crime data is from the year after.

Many of these schools are in large urban cities; it's also possible that crime is simply generally higher in cities than in more rural areas. Throughout history, that has often been the case. Regardless, here are some of the more dangerous American college campuses, as well as the reasons as to why they're dangerous.

UC Davis had the highest numbers of larceny and theft (794 cases) and property crime (906 cases) in 2019, with 39,783 students, according to the FBI's data. As one of the top cycling cities in the U.S. — as well as a city and school where students often commute — bicycle theft is a real problem, writes Simple Bike Insurance. According to the city of Davis' bicycle theft analysis report from 2009 to 2021, the vast majority of bicycles stolen were from UC Davis' campus. For commuter students, bicycles are a quick, cheap way to get to and from class — until their transportation itself gets stolen, of course.

UC Davis itself thinks students aren't taking enough care with their bikes when checking to make sure they're properly locked up. The university's Transportation Services office wrote a primer for anyone worried about bike safety, and it noted just how easy it is to slice through a cable lock, particularly a cheap one. The Transportation Services office also noted that it's unwise to leave bikes parked for more than a few days, as that can indicate abandonment and lead to subsequent thievery.

UC Davis — due to its status as a commuter school — knows what its main larceny problem is, meaning they can do their best to combat it. Unfortunately, people are often looking for things they can sell to make a quick dollar, and bikes and bike parts are definitely on that list.

According to the FBI's 2019 university crime data, the University of New Mexico had the most aggravated assault (84 cases) and violent crime (100 cases) of all schools on the list, with 30,280 students. UMN also has 14 rapes listed for 2019.

The New Mexico News Port also wrote, according 2019 data, that rapes appeared to be on the rise since 2011 at the university. However, there were newer channels for reporting rapes, and resources themselves had undergone a review by university officials. Reports of domestic violence and stalking had also risen, though aggravated assault had decreased somewhat.

Though tudents and campus police officers both felt the campus was a very safe place, security company claimed that UNM was the second-most dangerous college campus in 2019, writes KOAT. City councilor Pat Davis, who used to be a UNM police officer, said (via KOAT), "As Albuquerque crime goes up, it is not a surprise that crime at a university urban setting is going to go up," proving that the city and the university's crime are connected. And the city of Albuquerque does have its own problems with crime. According to the city's crime statistics for 2019, thievery numbers are high, particularly among motor vehicle thieves.

At 37 reported cases, UCSB was listed as having the highest number of reported rapes in 2019. According to FBI university crime data, the school also had the fourth-highest amount of violent crime with 61 cases and 26,561 students. UCSB has never had the greatest reputation, and the numbers seem to back that up.

The Santa Barbara Independent reported in August 2021 that a rape investigation found at least three victims of rapes that occurred between October 2020 and June 2021, with the possibility of more among the university's community. With the onset of COVID-19, there were fewer students living in the university's neighborhood of Isla Vista or on campus; therefore, there were fewer students to notice if something went wrong with someone else.

Daily Nexus also noted that UCSB has experienced a rise in reported rapes, stalking, and domestic violence since 2015. It is, however, highly possible that the increased reported numbers are from students feeling more comfortable with reporting what happened to them. However, Emily Montalvo-Telford, director of Students Against Sexual Assault, said the numbers still "nowhere represent the actual numbers of assaults that happen in Isla Vista and on the UCSB campus," (via Daily Nexus). Depressingly, it could simply be that the reports are beginning to catch up to the reality of the situation.

Virginia Commonwealth University, with 586 cases, had the sixth-highest counts of larceny of all the schools on the FBI's 2019 university crime list, with 33,636 students overall. Even into 2021, local news would often note that Virginia Commonwealth University police were searching for someone accused of theft (via NBC12 and NBC12). VCU News has also gotten in on it, informing the public, not to mention university students, of the details of larceny crimes and asking for help in identifying suspects.

VCU itself tells its community that larceny is one of its worst crimes, and it cautions students and staff to make sure all their belongings and vehicles are secure before leaving (via VCU). Police have also been known to increase patrols after a crime in a particular neighborhood, according to a recounting of a motor vehicle theft via ABC8 News. VCU and its community, like other schools, clearly knows what the problem is, and is working to eradicate it — trying to succeed, however difficult that task may be.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities had the fifth-highest numbers of property crime in 2019, with 667 cases and 64,115 students, according to the FBI's university crime data. Come 2020, the Minnesota Daily analyzed data and saw that thievery in all its various forms rose across university neighborhoods throughout the year.

In May 2021, property crime exploded in the university's area of Dinkytown, then began tapering off throughout the rest of the year, writes the Minnesota Daily. The reason for that probably comes from more police officers and cameras being present on campus after May. The university also instituted the addition of more blue light kiosks, which alerted either the university police or the Minneapolis police after being used.

Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota, and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is a large, public university, known for its top research opportunities. It's clear police are taking the issue of thieving seriously, and these measures will hopefully work in the long term.

UNC at Charlotte witnessed the highest number of murders (two) at a university in 2019 during an April 30 shooting that also saw four students injured. With 33,673 students, UNC was the only school on the FBI's 2019 list to witness multiple murders, unfortunately due to a senseless tragedy.

According to NBC News, 22-year-old Trystan Andrew Terrell was arrested for two counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder in April. The school was in lockdown the night of April 30, and police officers went from room to room to confirm who was sheltering in safe places. Per CBS, Terrell had apparently "researched" the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting and had planned this action for months (though his exact motives remain a mystery). That September, he pled guilty and was sentenced to two lifetime sentences in prison, as opposed to the death penalty (via WBTV).

21-year-old Riley Howell was shot and killed by Terrell. His girlfriend's father read a letter to the court from his daughter at the time of sentencing. "I'm not in the room with the defendant today because he is not worth my time, my energy or my thoughts. After today, I will never think of him again," she wrote (via WBTV). "He will not be missed, he's not worth that recognition. However, he will be forgotten."