<p>This school has been my top choice. I've already submitted a housing application and my intent to enroll. One of my friends plan on coming here so I wouldn't be completely alone. But recently I've had people tell me this campus is not a safe place, especially at night. This makes me uneasy but doesn't every campus have its security and theft issues? If anyone attends this school, can you tell me how it makes you feel safety wise? And any tips on staying out of trouble and staying safe?</p>
<p>Colleges are generally “target rich environments” for thieves, because many college students grew up in low crime areas and come to colleges naive about locking doors and windows, not leaving their stuff unattended, etc…</p>
<p>Other risks that new frosh are particularly vulnerable to involve the risk of getting drunk due to inexperience with alcohol, and becoming an easy crime victim while drunk (ranging from theft to more serious crimes like rape), often to a criminal who is another student who is also at the party where alcohol is served. (Yes, there are drinking age laws, but these are widely flouted.)</p>
<p>Neither of the above is specific to any particular college, but are crime risks that colleges in general tend to have.</p>
<p>If you are wondering about crime in the neighborhood (as opposed to crime risks relating to colleges but not a specific college as described above), you can check <a href=“http://www.sjsu.edu/police/crime_reporting/crime_map/”>http://www.sjsu.edu/police/crime_reporting/crime_map/</a> .</p>
<p>I don’t think the campus itself is unduly dangerous. It is definitely an ‘urban’ campus - if that makes you feel unsafe, I’d suggest you attend elsewhere. </p>
<p>To expand on what NCal is saying: SJSU is in the downtown of a city with population over 1M. There will be crime, and indeed crime in SJ has been in wading by several measures over the last few years, although it’s still considered one of the safer cities with a relatively high population. People may think SJSU is unsafe because of recent shootings and stabbings, especially the increase in such incidents in the last year (a man was shoot dead by police on 8th street near the campus just last month, the campus itself takes up 4th through 10th streets), but nearly all of the serious crimes did not actually involve students not were the cubes committed during traditional instruction hours (done late night to early morning). Most of it is gang violence. While I personally believe the campus itself is no dangerous or more safe than campuses in similar locations, the area directly outside of campus (particularly the side facing 4th street) is rather shady. Even walking by during the day, there can be seen a bunch of homeless passing by, individuals showing signs of substance abuse, or otherwise questionable looking people (possible gang affiliators, etc). Not to say that any of these demographics pose a threat, but technically any individual has the potential to be a threat and common sense should be used to be cautious. It seems, to me, that the campus does a good job of keeping unwarranted individuals not affiliated with the school off actual campus grounds.</p>
<p>Again, no more dangerous than comparable schools, but travel in groups after dark, lock your valuables up, be aware of your surroundings (meaning: really pay attention to the details and what looks out of place - I’m walking along the sidewalk and approaching a dark depressed doorway that i can’t fully see around/into? I’ll take a couple steps to the side or walk to the other side of the street if possible so it deters an attacker since he or she now would have to travel farther to reach me and i have more advantage of sing him or her ((or them)) and reacting accordingly) and exercise other coomon sense precautions to mitigate your exposure to crime. Anyway, that’s just me though: I’m used to bobbing and not walking in a straight line all the time so that it’s harder for snipers to be effective. . .</p>