<p>Okay, I knew Baltimore wasn't the safest place on earth, but seriously, this got me a bit scared...</p>
<p>Is JHU a safe haven from the crimes in Baltimore?</p>
<p>oh cmon, have you been to baltimore maryland...it doesn't seem that bad. Hurray for social classes!!!!!!!!1</p>
<p>Campus crime has dropped by an overwhelming 60% in the past 2 years. This is more than any urban school in the country. Nonetheless, the data is strong enough to indicate that changes in Hopkins security has indeed made a difference. </p>
<p>"Much of the credit goes to the University's dramatic and long-overdue improvement in campus security over the past two years. </p>
<p>Tthe University added $2 million to its annual security budget and undertook a series of widespread changes which included adding security gates to the AMRs, upgrading daily patrols and installing a state-of-the-art surveillance system. The additional funding was an important gesture toward the need for change in campus security and spurred a period of transition during which administrators and security officials admirably took many suggestions from the student body and community. "</p>
<p>I've been to JHU campus and I really liked it...went to couple restaurants in Inner Harbor as well...but didn't know the crime rate was so bad...</p>
<p>On the topic of those security measures, I personally believe they were a way for the administration to make it look as though they were doing something. The murders that caused the panic happened OFF campus. Most of the security measures are ON campus. The few that are off campus are ******** security guards who don't even pay attention. Brody wanted to clean up the school's image and make parents feel more comfortable. The $7 million spent on these security measures really just resulted in higher tuition bills and more inconvenience for students (MegaBytes might as well be closed because of the difficulty one has to go through to get there). I think it was more a publicity thing than an actual safety concern.</p>
<p>Most of the students I have spoken to do feel that the campus is markedly safer than it was 2-3 years ago and as the university environment extends further off-campus, that environment will continue to mirror the campus environment. Statistics suggest this as well.</p>
<p>Personally, safety is the last thing on my mind. If you have half a brain, you'll already know not to randomly wander into the more dangerous areas of Baltimore.</p>
<p>
[quote]
MegaBytes might as well be closed because of the difficulty one has to go through to get there
[/quote]
What?
Do you know what your talking about?</p>
<p>Anyone can walk into the BlueJay Cafe (formely megabytes) anytime they want. You don't need an access card. If you live in AMR II you might need to walk 100 more feet to get in but it isn't "might as well closed"</p>
<p>
[quote]
What?
Do you know what your talking about?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I know that last year they made people leave their ID at the gate and come back that same way to get it (I haven't even tried this year, so I don't know if it is the same). That seems like a lot more trouble than just being able to walk through on your way to the gym, which was really convenient. Did you go here before they put in the gates at the AMRs? Do you know what you're talking about?</p>
<p>This year, they've made the entrance to Megabytes from the back of AMR II (near the baseball fields) - the doors that used to be open two years ago but were locked off last year when they put up the gates and started the whole ID thing. I really never even go over to the freshman quad anyway cause Megabytes is too far from the sophomore dorms and no one other than freshmen can afford to eat at Terrace</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is JHU a safe haven from the crimes in Baltimore?
[/quote]
JHU includes several different campuses that are scattered throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. The security situation varies widely by campus. </p>
<p>You are probably wondering about the "main" Homewood campus in north Baltimore. This campus has the Schools of Arts & Sciences and Engineering, and is where most of the undergraduates are. The Homewood campus is obviously urban, but it is considered reasonably safe. </p>
<p>Security is a much greater concern at the East Baltimore medical campus, about 4 miles away. This campus has the Hospital and the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health. However, if you are going to JHU as an undergraduate, you probably won't be spending any time there.</p>
<p>The Peabody Institute (for music) is located between the two campuses, and is probably intermediate in terms of security as well.</p>
<p>blue jay cafe (megabytes) is in the back of the amr II's now, right next to the tennis courts so it's completely accesible to any and all students ... you don't have to go through the gates to get to it</p>
<p>in response to the safety concerns ... yeah, baltimore is in an urban neighborhood but it's no different than other areas in which if you use your brain and think smartly (i.e. not walking alone at night time) you'll be perfectly fine. actually, i know some people that have walked alone from downtown back to the campus, supposedly through some of the not so great neighborhoods, and they came back just fine. security could definitely be better off-campus, but the areas immediately near the campus are pretty secure even though it is a result of tuition prices being raised. </p>
<p>concerns of safety in baltimore really shouldn't affect whether or not you apply or decide on hopkins ... especially since it's not as bad as what media and random people who've never been to baltimore sensationalize about the area.</p>