<p>onesonmom–all of these Crime stats are available on the CC website --The Cleary Act requires a report for each year for every college/university. I noted that the link to the Navigator says that the accuracy of reports are not verified by the government.</p>
<p>I know when my son was there at CC they really stressed the need to report these things. The 3 years that are reported had 4-9-10 reported. I think your son will be safe in the dorm if he attends CC and practices reasonable precautions. Two years on the Williams College report was 7 for the most recent year and 5 for the year before.</p>
<p>07DAD - Thanks! I originally was looking for alcohol and drug related offense information, just to compare several colleges. It was startling to see such high numbers for that particular crime stat, especially when compared to other LACs of similar size. Burglaries are worth noting, but the forcible sexual offense is troubling, as it occurred within the on-campus residences.</p>
<p>Onesonmom- Thank you! That is a VERY interesting link. I have bookmarked it. Out of curiosity, how accurate do you think the crime reports are? I am sure there are a lot of sexual assaults that go unreported. I’m not thinking of CC, but other colleges with a huge Greek system…</p>
<p>Also, I don’t know how to put this delicately… but Princeton Review has CC very high on the list of top marijuana schools. However, there are very few drug offenses on the College Navigator report. Why do you think that is? Does campus police look the other way?</p>
<p>When we toured, our guide (a senior) mentioned the new law in Colorado, and what impact he thought it would have: almost none. He said the CC’s stance on substance abuse is to assume that all incoming students are responsible adults. If they don’t cause trouble, CC doesn’t see a reason to monitor what they do. However, if they abuse drugs of alcohol, and it becomes a problem, you end up on their radar, and will be watched. I don’t see that so much as looking the other way, but using common sense, and directing resources where they are needed. </p>
<p>As for being a top marijuana school according to Princeton Review, I wonder where they get their statistics, and how reliable they are. Is it self-reporting? Are there schools where students are more likely to feel comfortable reporting use, because nobody is likely to find out and crack down? Are there others where it might be under reported, because of fear of being caught? </p>
<p>I would personally go with my gut feeling after visiting campus while classes are in session. I did not get the sense that there is a big drug culture on campus, but I also doubt that you can’t get drugs relatively easily on almost any campus.</p>
<p>Annafc - we were told when we visited that the college has a “no medical marijuana” policy (this was before the new law passed) but that such offenses were treated as confidential medical matters, such as with alcohol, so that the student could receive appropriate treatment. I didn’t have a chance to follow up. The new law allows up to 6 plants per person grown for personal use, and makes the sale illegal (so… $20 for this ziploc bag but what’s inside is free)</p>
<p>I have heard at CC there are a lot of smokers. This isn’t very surprising and is true for a lot of LACs. It is probably better students be smoking then getting alcohol poisoning but that is just my view. Not to say all students will drink or smoke but they are quite common and I don’t think parents should not allow their child to go to CC because of its rep.</p>
<p>CC publishes a daily crime log. I see that most of the in-dorm thefts have the notation “unlocked.” This matches what my son observed his freshman year in the dorm. Some kids just didn’t take reasonable precautions with their stuff. He observed that it seemed like these kids had not been to boarding schools, participated in on-campus summer programs nor had gone to summer camps. </p>
<p>A recent study of rape of college women found that the annual rate of rape per 1000 women on campus is 35. So, CC women are doing a better job of reporting than those women on other campuses with lower (and much lower) rapes reported. As I mentioned in an earlier post, CC stresses the need to report. It seems to be working a little better than at these other schools. </p>
<p>Since the vast majority (90%) of rapes of college women is acquaintance rape and involve alcohol, it is hard to know if an in-dorm rape indicates any lack of reasonable dorm security.</p>
<p>Ah–drug and alcohol use. I think that presently, if a student breaks the law and drinks underage or possess a little pot, and is caught on CC, it is handled internally. As a parent, your kid may smoke pot, so if pot is legalized so your student can grow and smoke his or her own, that may keep your kid from getting caught up in the criminal justice system if caught OFF CAMPUS by the police, which is a good thing.</p>
<p>Is the concern that going to CC encourages pot or underage alcohol use more than other LACs?</p>
<p>You can’t generalize that because schools have lower numbers, they aren’t reporting. It could be that they very well do not have as many sexual assaults. It is simply impossible to tell.</p>
<p>I would say CC’s drug and alcohol closely resembles a lot of other schools. I don’t think any school “encourages” drug use. The student body may use these substances more than others and I have heard it referred to as a marijuana school, meaning students prefer this to drinking. I have no idea how close this is to the truth. It is something to think about though. I think a lot of schools will lean closer to being a “stoner” school or a drinking school and it’s up to you to decide what environment you prefer or don’t. To get an accurate representation, I would definitely want to talk to students who attend and party moderately. I am sure they would be candid and upfront. I don’t think looking at statistics or what parents have to say really answers the question about whether the party atmosphere at CC is right for any prospie.</p>
<p>My concern is general, and oriented mostly to just information gathering and comparison. You make an excellent point, 07DAD, regarding the question of these numbers reflecting accurate reporting for an apples-to-apples comparison. My only specific concerns are around a party culture which encourages/celebrates binge drinking. A secondary concern is one you addressed, a student being caught up in the criminal justice system off-campus for pot. Overall, I am comfortable with Colorado College, and as well with the perspectives which my DS will carry with him into whatever environment he ultimately finds himself.</p>
<p>Without the new legalization Colorado looked like this:</p>
<p>Colorado Revised Statute Possession Offense Level, Possible Jail Time, Possible Fine, Surcharge </p>
<p>C.R.S. 18-18-406 (1) 2 oz or less of marijuana: Class 2 Petty Offense; Possible Jail Time None; Possible Fine $100; Surcharge **$200 **</p>
<p>C.R.S. 18-18-406(2) 2 oz or less, failure to appear: Class 3 Misdemeanor; Possible Jail Time 6 months; Possible Fine $50-$750; Surcharge $300 </p>
<p>C.R.S. 18-18-406(3)(a)(I) Openly and publicly displays 2 oz or less: Class 2 Petty Offense; Possible Jail Time None; Possible Fine $100; Surcharge $200 </p>
<p>According to the NORML website: Transfer of less than two ounces of marijuana for no consideration is considered possession and is punished as such.</p>
<p>onesonmom–looks like under 2oz and timely payment of the fine: $100 and some surcharge (I didn’t look it up to see what it is and how it works), so maybe $300.</p>
<p>Binge drinking? Honestly, if this is really important to you call the CC campus police. I did once when there was a series of assaults on and near campus by townies. The on- campus CS policeman was very informative and forthcoming. He’d probably tell you about the frequency of emergency calls.</p>
<p>When my S did an overnight last year he was amazed to find open pot smoking everywhere at CC. Now it didn’t bother him, and I wasn’t concerned in the least because I am sure this isn’t the only college where this goes on… and he LOVED CC, but it is definitely seemed to him to be pretty pervasive.</p>
<p>I imagine that a significant aspect of the openness of pot use reflects the relative minor degree of harshness of criminal penalties for possession of small quantites of pot. Looking over several articles, it reminds me of the 1960s and very early 1970s when you see the college busts (and deaths) relating to herion and LSD and then add Ecstasy and cocaine. I mean drug busts involving students and athletes at TCU? and overdoses at Reed? Two Oklahoma Un. football players got busted for pot this weekend in Norman. PTL it was AFTER the game.</p>