Crime in the UC area

It has almost become the punchline to some unfortunate joke -- the frequency with which we all receive crime notifactions via our Blackboard accounts. And indeed, according to Greg Hand, UC director of communications, notifications through November 2008, as compared to the same time period in 2007, were up 300 percent. That's quite a jump.

UCPD will be quick to point out that most of these notifications, as is par for the course, concern crime that occurs off campus, in the CUF (Clifton Heights, University Heights and Fairview) neighborhoods. And it is not particularly difficult to see how we got to this point; the economy is going to hell, unemployment is high and the city is closing jails due to a lack of funding.

We've all heard the stories. The man who was mugged after he slipped and fell on the ice? He broke his arm and was begging for help when assailants mugged him. Then there is the recent mugging in which one suspect was described by the victim as a four-foot tall 13 year old. What about the young teen boy who allegedly attempted to rob two students at an ATM on Halloween night? Did you hear about that?

Last quarter The News Record staff posted a poll on its Web site that asked readers to rate how safe they felt at and around UC. Overwhelmingly, respondents expressed great concern for their safety.

Now I'd like to take the polling process one step further.

I'd like to know what you think of all this madness. Are you scared? Have you been a crime victim? Do you know someone who has been a victim? What precautions are you taking to protect yourself? Do you have any suggestions for diminishing crime in the area? Or maybe you think all this talk is much ado about nothing.

Comment away. Speak your mind. Tell me everything.