City Colleges: Crime 101

In the name of scare-journalism, the NY Post jumps on some NYPD data that says "5707 drug arrests" were made at NYU between 2000 and 2002. Of course, it's mostly because the arrests took place in the very public Washington Square Park - but why lose a chance to mention recent made-for-the-headlines drug dealer, Julia Diaco, a NYU freshman arrested for dealing pot, crack, and other sundry drugs last May. The best quote from the article: A sophomore saying, "There are definitely students in the dorm engaging in illicit activity." Well, duh. Anyone who has been to college, let alone watched TV or movies, knows that schools are just covers for tons of crazy off-the-books schemes, the easiest being bilking your dorm out of money when you tell them you're going to set up a really cool activity.

Anyway, the Post helpfully points out that federal law makes colleges publish crime information about the area surrounding the school, regardless of whether or not students and other members of the college communnity are involved. Thus, the Post says:
- The Pratt Institute is one of the most dangerous.
- NYU has the most drug offenses.
- Fordham has the most liquor violations.
- St. John's has the most car thefts.
- Sex crimes are more prevalent at Princeton (26 reported) than NYU (21) or Columbia (13).
- Columbia has a lower crime rate compared to Harvard, Yale and University of Chicago.