<p>I realize this is a terrible subject but in light of something that just happened on my campus (Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA) I thought that students considering coming here should know. Crime in this area is a major problem, and now it seems after today we can't even feel safe walking to class in the most heavily traveled part of campus in the middle of the afternoon. We just received this email from the school:</p>
<p>Dear Members of the Campus Community,</p>
<p>Today, January 22, 2010, two Franklin & Marshall College students reported being robbed in separate incidents on or near campus. </p>
<p>The first incident occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. on campus, near the entrance of Jazzman's Cafe. The second incident occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. near the corner of West James Street and Lancaster Avenue.</p>
<p>During both incidents the victims were approached by three males, who demanded their personal belongings and threatened bodily harm. The victims responded in an appropriate manner by offering their iPods, cell phones and an undetermined amount of money.</p>
<p>The victims described the first perpetrator as being an African American male between the ages of 18 and 25, 6'2"with a thin build, clean shaven and wearing a black zipper "hoodie" with dark jeans. The second perpetrator was an African American male approximately 25 years of age, 5' 10" with a stocky build, a full beard and wearing a blue "hoodie" with blue jeans. The third perpetrator was an African American male between the ages of 18 and 25 with no further description.</p>
<p>Everyone is terrified and angry that we don't even have the right to feel safe in the middle of campus during the afternoons when we're trying to get to class. Honestly, things like this happen all the time here. My freshman year a male student was shot a block off campus when he refused to give up his money. Just last week a woman in her early 20s (not a student) was found raped and beaten just off campus. The area surrounding campus is a ghetto and they consider us prime targets. I just feel so violated by this that I thought other people should know so you have all the information when making your decision on where to attend. Sorry for the rant.</p>
<p>That is frightening, especially since it was in broad daylight and on campus. You usually hear about these types of incidents off campus or at night. We visited F&M several times and it was one of D’s favorites. I never thought of safety being an issue there. You might want to post this on the F&M forum here. I hope they catch these guys</p>
<p>My son’s campus in Erie has similar problems. On Monday, a gang of 4-6 teenagers assaulted two students and one resident, in three separate incidents between 4 and 5pm. They were within a block of the campus, so technically it’s not a campus crime. They didn’t even rob them this time, they just beat them up.</p>
<p>Last week, MomofWildChild reported a shooting near Penn.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting this. My d loved the school but ultimately decided to go ed to another for their science program. If she was going there next year I would be freaking out-- but for you, what is the college’s response as far as security-- this was not one kid alone getting robbed. If going around with others doesnt protect you, what will?</p>
<p>Wow, so far, even tho USC is in a “working class neighborhood,” I haven’t heard of any of these types of problems on their campus. I have always felt safe there when walking around. There is a huge campus security force that is highly visible. It is recommended that students ask for a free escort and travel with others, especially at night.</p>
<p>Being drunk or straying away from campus or having visible valuables (like a purse) and it’s dicier.</p>
<p>Well they told us today that they arrested 1 of the 3 men who were responsible. They may have a lead on another, but everyone here is very upset and doesn’t want to go outside even during the day now. They told us they have increased public safety presence on campus but I’m not sure how much better that is going to make everyone feel. There is just a feeling of suffocation here because its like we’re fish in a barrel surrounded by criminals and community who doesn’t like us and thinks we’re easy targets. Its really unfortunate that we can’t feel safe and its frustrating situation for everyone, the school included.
You may or may not know this but recently F&M pushed to have over 150 closed-circuit TV cameras placed all around campus and for a few block radius in order to monitor such criminal activity. Things were bad enough that they thought that was necessary. The event got national news coverage, with the NY Times calling Lancaster “The Most Watched Town in America.” Of course the students didn’t mind but the community was in an uproar. I guess even with all of that we can’t stop things from happening. I’m just glad I’m a senior.</p>
<p>You are lucky to only have one semester left. One tip, my son has used, is to always carry a small amount of money with him. That way, he won’t lose much and the robbers won’t be so angry. I’ve heard of kids throwing their wallets and running, too.</p>
<p>^I always take my wallet out of my purse and put it in a hidden coat pocket with my phone, but still carry the purse, if I am going out at night. That way I can hand over my purse, or throw it and run, without actually losing anything but the purse. None of my purses are worth more than $40 anyway so it’s a small price to pay. haha. </p>
<p>Though honestly handing over my wallet would probably be less of a loss than the purse, now that I think about it…</p>
<p>Hmm. Probably. They forgot to mail me my new one last time I had to go in to replace it.</p>
<p>If I am wearing a smaller purse I have also worn it UNDERNEATH my coat before. That was funny. My mom told me all sorts of tricks when I went to Chicago for a weekend with one of my gal pals, I don’t think the woman took a breath until I got home.</p>
<p>This doesn’t seem to be a problem specific to one university…it seems a lot of schools are in areas that aren’t so hot. </p>
<p>It does make me feel better about College Park, which I in no way whatsoever consider a “ghetto.” </p>
<p>UMCP has a similar thing with the cameras around campus and some in the nearby neigbhorhoods (almost entirely student occupied, so now "residential outcry’ there). I’m surprised there weren’t any before. Recently the cameras helped apprehend suspects almost immediately after an assault/robbery on campus.</p>
<p>I am sorry that you feel threatened…I usually carry almost no valuables on me so even knowing robberies/muggings are fairly common (esp. at night off campus), I’ve never actually feared one :P.</p>
<p>This is terribly disheartening - on campus in the middle of the day!</p>
<p>I recently heard of a tip for travelers going to big pick-pocket areas (ie almost any tourist area in Europe): Carry “mugger money.” Keep a few bucks in a money clip or cheap wallet in an easily accessible pocket (esp for guys). If approached/mugged, hand over the “mugger money.” But keep your actual wallet somewhere harder to get to. Usually that works, the mugger is in a rush to get away so they don’t push for more.</p>
<p>It would really be a shame for college kids to have to do this on campus, though.</p>