Guides
- Common NFT Scams to Look Out For & Ways to Avoid the Fake Ones
- What to Do If You Witness a Crime?
- What Is Skip Tracing and How Does It Work?
- Common Venmo Scams to Look Out For and How to Avoid Them
- Can You Get Child Custody If You Have a Criminal Record?
- Common Amazon Scams and Ways on How to Avoid Them
- How to Find Liens on a Property?
- Multiple Bankruptcies: How Often You Can File One?
- How to Adopt a Child in the US?
- I Lost My Birth Certificate. What Should I Do?
- Warning Signs of Job Scams and How to Protect Yourself
- What Is a Ban the Box Law?
- What is Expungement?
- How to Transfer Property After Death Without Will
- What Is a Police Blotter?
- How to Appeal a Parking Ticket
- What Is a Clean Driving Record?
- What is Title Washing?
- What is Extortion?
- How To Run a Motorcycle Title Search
- What Is a Digital Footprint?
- What is Anti Money Laundering (AML)?
- Guide on How to Get a Death Certificate
- What is the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?
- What is Multi Factor Authentication?
- What is a Citizen's Arrest?
- How to Know that You’re in an Obsessive Relationship
- Guide to Online Survey Scams
- 13 Different Types of Police Officers
- Full Guide on Work-from-Home Scams
- Is Private Browsing Really Private?
- Different Types of Felony Classes & Charges
- What is Juice Jacking?
- What are Romance Scams?
- Traffic Offenses and Violations
- What is Doxing and How to Prevent it?
- What are Spam Text Messages
- The U.S. Death Penalty: History and Modern Usage
- A Guide to Different Types of Bankruptcies
- Common eBay Scams to be Aware of
- What Happens When You are Booked in Jail?
- What Information Can You Get From A License Plate
- Different Types of Assets
- 8 Tips to Help You Find Family Members
- Car History Guide, Benefits, Importance
- Am I Dating a Stalker?
- How to Find out if Your Partner is Cheating
- What Is A Packet Sniffing Attack
- Intellectual Property Law and Rights
- Cyberstalking And Its Dangers
- A Guide to Phishing Scams
- What is Organized Crime?
- I’ve Lost My Driver’s License: What Should I Do?
- Misdemeanor Charges: Types, Classes, and Penalties
- A Complete Guide On Catfishing
- Vanity Phone Numbers: A Complete Guide
- What Happens When You Get Arrested
- Guide to Find Information About a Person Online
- How To Find And Claim Unclaimed Money
- What Happens if You Violate Probation
- Guide on How to Remove a Mugshot from the Internet
- How to Stay Safe on Public WiFi
- How to Deal with an Outstanding Warrant
- Different Types of Car Insurance
- What Is Cyptojacking?
- What Is Email Security?
- What Is the Deep Web and What Can Be Found There?
- What Happens When You Declare Bankruptcy
- How Divorce Settlements are Calculated
- What are Common Methods of Social Engineering
- What is the Difference Between a General Lien and a Specific Lien?
- How to Detect Odometer Rollback
- Different Types of Probation
- Finding forgotten life insurance policies
- What is Bearer Bond and Why the US Banned it
- Everything you need to know about small claims court
- Moral Turpitude: Definition, Examples, and Much More!
- Misdemeanor vs Felony
- How To Read VIN Number
- How to Find Out Who Hacked Your Cell Phone
- How Long Does a Misdemeanor Stay On Your Criminal Record?
- The Paypal Phishing Scam You Should Care to Avoid
- License Plates Types: USA Guide
- Effects of Cyberbullying: Complete Guide for Parents
- What is the DPPA?
- Petty Theft: Definition and Consequences
- What is a Life Sentence?
- How to Find Out if Someone Has a Warrant?
- Marriage License vs Certificate: Everything You Need to Know
- The Ten Most Popular Celebrity Mugshots
- How to Find Out if Someone is Married?
- How to Stop Phone Spoofing?
- How To Avoid Probate
- Dealing with abandoned vehicles in your neighborhood
- How to Find Someone's Cell Phone Number by Their Name
- Who Are the Worst Drivers in America?
- How To Find Unclaimed Money From Deceased Relatives
- What is a Digital License Plate?
- How to Find out if Someone Died?
- Murder vs Manslaughter: The Differences and Definitions
- How to Hire a Private Investigator?
- What Is a Number Neighbor?
- How to Find Out if Someone was Arrested
- How to Find Someone's Birthday?
- What is a Car Title
- How to Obtain a Police Report and Court Records?
- Filing a false police report
- Prison Valley: Look inside Prison Town
- How to Get Custody of a Child Without Going to Court?
- How to Find Someone’s Social Media Profiles?
- What to Do if Your Phone Is Tapped?
- What Is a Deed in Real Estate?
- Where Was The First US Federal Penitentiary Established?
- How to Find Someone's Location Using Their Cell Phone Number?
- What Is a Restricted Call?
- Who is the Most Dangerous Prisoner in the World?
- Poshmark Scams: How to Prevent and Report Them
- How to Find a Missing Person?
- How to Send Money to a Federal Inmate?
- DUI vs DWI: What're The Differences
- How Long After Buying a Car Do You Need to Register it?
- How to Find out Where Someone Lives?
- What Happens If You Get Caught Driving a Car Without Interlock
- Situational Crime Prevention: Theory, Techniques and Examples
- How Can I Find Out Who Called Me for Free?
- Gun Free Zone Statistics and Facts
- Online Threats and Digital Security: Trends, Types and Most Common Examples
- Cold Cases: Best Practices For Police Officers and Investigators
- Court Order: Definition, Types and Examples
- What Does a Fingerprint Background Report Show?
- How to Check Your Criminal Record?
- What is Tort Law?
- How to Calculate Child Support
- Property Rights: Definition, and Characteristics
- 12 Common Reasons for Public Records Request
- What is Antitrust Law?
- Virginia Gun Confiscation Law
- How Do You Find Out Who Own a Property?
- Neighborhood Watch Program
- How to Perform a Mugshot Search?
- Crime Mapping
- Safest Colleges in Florida
- Veterans Guide to Cars and Driving
- U.S. Correctional System: Structure, Incarceration and Facts
- License Plate Laws in the US
- How to Locate Inmates and Access Jail Records?
- Email Hacking: Laws, Penalties and Protection
- Romeo and Juliet Laws
- Holiday Safety for Home and Family
- Differences between Criminal and Arrest Records
- Public Records and Property History: What is Public Information and What Isn’t
- How to Look up Immigration Inmates?
- Famous Prisons in the USA
- How to Find Out Who Owns a Vehicle Using Reverse Lookup Tools
- How to Search for Your Family Tree?
- The Federal Judicial Center
- Mass Incarceration in the USA
- What is COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)?
- Data Safety After The Capital One Breach
- Scholarships Guide for Students
- Complete Guide to Student Safety
- What Is a Vehicle Identification Number?
- Determining Divorce: 5 Types of Divorce You Must Know
- Sex Offenders: Complete Guide to be Protected
- New Privacy Laws and Public Records
- Motor Vehicle Registration in the US
- Digital Token Age: Security Laws and Regulations
- Facial Recognition Technology and Legal Restrictions
- What Shows up in a Background Report
- Car Repossession Laws: Dealing with Car Dealers and Auto Fraud
- How to Protect Yourself from Phone Scams
- Human Rights in the Prison
- What are Business Competition Laws?
- What is a Hate Crime?
- Starting a Business and Business Licenses
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Guidance
- Criminal Justice Reform
- Tax Reform Impact and Changes To Know
- Self-Driving Cars: Laws and Regulations
- White-Collar Crime: Statistics and Facts
- Have You Been Arrested? Cases You'll Need a Lawyer
- How to Get a Driver's License in the US
- Car Theft in the US: Prevention and Facts
- Identity Theft Passport Program
- Changing your Name after Marriage: What You Need to Know
- Finding the Perfect Roommate: Dos and Donts
- What if You Get Into a Car Accident? A Complete Checklist
- Property Crimes: How to Burglar Proof Your Home
- Consumer Laws in the US: What Do They Mean for a Customer and a Business Owner
- Child Trafficking: The Scope, Understanding, and Prevention
- Business Assets: A Guide to the Financial Health of your Business
- Guide To The College Application: How, When and Where to Apply
- Which States Have “Stand Your Ground” Laws?
- Adolescent Depression Symptoms and Causes
- Things to Know About the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory System
- Inheritance in the US: With & Without a Will
- Online Dating Safety Guide for Men and Women
- Sexual Abuse in the U.S.: Laws and Statistics
- Supporting Children After Divorce: Child Custody Options
- Halloween Horrors Come to Life: Holidays Crimes in the U.S.
- Charity Scams in the U.S.: Be Aware and Protected
- Webcam Hacking & Spying in the US
- Sex Offender Search
- Freedom of Religion in the U.S.
- Senior Financial Scams: How are the Elderly Targeted and How to Avoid It
- Catcalling: Is it illegal? How to Deal With It
- A Complete Guide To Insurance Fraud: Common Types and Prevention
- Sextortion: What to Do if You Became a Victim of Blackmailing
- Concealed Carry: How to Protect Yourself on Campus
- Debt Collection Laws | Fair Debt Collection Act: What You Need To Know
- How Much Is My House Worth? Ultimate Guide to Home Buying and Selling
- What are the Traits of a Sociopath?
- Do You Know Who Your Neighbors Are?
- Learn How to Find Your Birth Parents
- The Importance of Public Records in Law
- Do You Know What's the Difference Between Jail and Prison?
- Homeowner’s Insurance, Is it a Public Record?
- The Disturbing Facts of Gun Violence in America
- How to Use Public Records in Marketing
- Best & Worst Cities for Driving
- LGBT Bullying
- What You Need to Know When Buying or Selling a Used Car?
- School Safety and Security Standards
- Making Your DMV Experience Fast And Easy
- How to Prepare For an Active Shooter Incident
- How to Report a Crime?
- How to Protect Yourself Against Cyber Attacks
- 50 Things to Know When Filing for Divorce
- What to Do When You Are Stopped By the Police
- Tips for Back-to-School Safety and Security
- Guide to Filing for Bankruptcy
- How to Appeal the Court's Decision
- A User's Guide to Warrants
- How to Fight a Traffic Ticket?
- Keeping Your Neighborhood Safe For Your Family
- A Parent's Guide to Keeping Your Child Drug-Free
Complete Guide to Student Safety

Crime on campus is not often a student’s top priority when choosing a college to attend. Information about personal safety is quickly dismissed when a young person moves away to attend a university and is swept up in a whirlwind of social activities, adjusting to independent living, learning, and discovering new places.
But a sex offender lookup should be a priority right alongside choosing the right classes when going to college. Many of the approximately 5,300 campuses across the country have been accused of not disclosing the truth of campus crime to students, and it has been established that crime is both under-reported by college students and college administrators.
There are about 78 million students enrolled in higher education in the U.S. Authorities say that, overall, campus crime – those that have been reported – has declined 35% since 2005. Yet other reports show clearly that not all campus crime is reported to local law enforcement, nor is it reported to educational authorities. Colleges have processes for disciplinary action that can fly under the radar of such mandatory reporting, perhaps to keep the campus attractive to prospective students and the school’s reputation sterling.
Types of Crimes on College Campuses
Students are an easy target for criminals because they have predictable schedules, they often have high quality belongings, they can be young and unsophisticated, therefore easily scammed, manipulated, or robbed. In addition, many students are away from home for the first time in their lives and testing their limits, which leads to excessive drinking or other forms of substance use that leaves them vulnerable to criminals. Along with the predictable property crimes, the U.S. Department of Education says that hate crimes have spiked by 25 percent in recent years, making campuses a potentially dangerous place for minorities, Jews, and LGBTQ students.
The National Criminal Justice Reference Service data show that forcible sexual assaults have increased since 2011 but property crimes and other incidents of victimization have stayed flat or declined. The increase in sexual assault may reflect greater awareness and willingness to report to authorities. A survey of campus police agencies showed that those larger schools with 5,000 or more students were likely to be proactive in educating the population about potentially hazardous situations and to have a text or email notification system in place in case of emergency.
1. Sexual assault: This crime has been identified as one of the least-reported on campuses. Between 19 and 27 percent of women are sexually assaulted on college campuses, and surveys show those incidents are vastly under-reported, by a factor of 10. That equates to about 1 in 5 women. In the latest data available, forcible sexual assaults were shown to triple from 2005 to 2015, There is a law, called the Clery Act, named for a young woman who was sexually assaulted and killed at Lehigh University in 1986, that requires colleges to disclose statistics about crime on campus. Legislators attempted to amend and strengthen that law in 2014-2015 with a proposal called the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, but it was unsuccessful because those who opposed it claimed that it did not provide for due process for the accused. Studies have shown that the presence of fraternities contributes to the number of campus rapes, and that serial rapists often prey on multiple victims on campus – making a sex offender lookup a good idea when choosing a campus. Factors that increase the possibility of sexual assault include victimization of new, first-time students and the influence of alcohol.
2. Robbery: There has been a decline in reported robberies on campuses, from over 750 a year to just 643 in 2104. Thieves are attracted to campuses by a large number of students with new electronic gear, by the “open door” atmosphere of many dormitories, and by the large crowds that they can easily disappear into when evading police. To prepare a student for possible thefts from unprotected backpacks or open doors, start by purchasing laptop locks, U-style bicycle locks, a locking box for high-value personal items, and teaching basic responsibility and vigilance. Unfortunately, dorm robberies are not unusual and a student’s roommate may not be as careful about closing and locking doors as he should. Minimizing the dollar value of items taken to college is a proactive approach, as is teaching a young person what to do if confronted by a robber on campus.
3. Drug and alcohol crimes: One of the few areas of campus law enforcement that has experienced an increase in recent years is arrests for drug possession and use. Arrests for illegal possession of alcohol and related charges has declined significantly, to just 13.5 per 10,000 full-time students. Drug violations has increased from 10.2 violations per 10,000 students to 13.1 per 10,000 students. College is a time of experimentation and socializing with new people, but students should be aware of the drug possession and use laws in the state where they attend school; decriminalization of marijuana does not mean that possession or purchase of a certain amount is no longer a crime they can get arrested for. In addition, the consequences can be severe, as student loans may be withheld from those with such convictions.
4. Cyberbullying: Students who are living away from home for the first time may struggle to find and fit in with a new social group, making them vulnerable to bullying. Unfortunately, without the family contact and structure they had prior to attending college, the potentially devastating effects can be hidden until the student is suffering significantly. Those with prior mental health issues, in particular, should be monitored for new symptoms of depression, withdrawal, or self-harming behavior.
5. Identity theft: Student loan fraud and credit card theft have both been on the rise because bustling college campuses are places vulnerable to cyber attacks and where social security numbers and student ID numbers proliferate on paperwork. Phishing scams are one way these pieces of information are acquired; students may not realize that a fake email address is just one letter different from an official college email when it seeks personal or accounts information that could lead to theft. College students using unprotected wireless networks are vulnerable to identity theft just as they are if mail is taken from mailboxes or a debit card PIN number is stolen. Using a VPN, not making transactions over a free, open wireless network, carrying only a few personal identification items or documents that are absolutely necessary, trusting the right free study materials online, and perhaps signing up for credit monitoring that will send transaction alerts are all important safeguards.

Off-Campus Safety
Most students cannot be confined to a college campus during the school year. Whether they travel off campus for shopping or live off campus, it’s important to be aware of:
- local crime alerts regarding break-ins, assaults, or gang activity;
- transportation safety: traveling with a friend whenever possible, being vigilant about using ride-sharing services, taking advantage of opportunities for designated escorts after dark;
- avoiding regular, habitual trips that are easily discerned patterns of behavior a stalker or thief might take advantage of;
- use only last names on mailboxes and have important documents routed to a post office box or alternative, safe, address to avoid opportunities for identity theft;
- avoiding hazards like unsafe neighborhoods by finding alternative routes.