Campus Safety releases 2023 Clery Report with Loyola Crime Statistics

Campus Safety released the Clery Act Annual Safety Report and 2023 Fire Safety Report on Oct. 1, detailing student safety procedures and all felony incidents and disciplinary reports at all Loyola campuses.

The report is commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education and provides an opportunity to compare crime, statistics, policies and procedures between any two institutions.

“The report is a way to help people learn about safety on our campuses,” Cunningham said.

The Clery report suggests what steps students should take to protect themselves and their personal belongings, from properly securing their bike to a bike rack to learning about self-defense classes. Definitions of crimes begin on page 30.

“Too often the report is reviewed after an incident, but everyone should proactively pay attention to it,” Cunningham said.

Named after a Lehigh University student in the 1980s who was raped and murdered in her dorm room, the Jeanne Clery Act requires universities to disclose crime statistics to increase security on campus, as The Phoenix previously reported.

Loyola reported five cases of rape, 246 liquor law violations, 10 burglaries and 12 cases of motor vehicle theft – up from three vehicle thefts in 2021 – at the Lake Shore campus. There were no significant changes in reported crimes, arrests or referrals at Loyola’s other five locations.

“An increase in these numbers does not mean that the situation has gotten worse,” Cunningham said. “It suggests that more people are coming forward and reporting these things.”

According to page 27 of the report, the number of rape cases on both the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses increased compared to last year, with Lake Shore increasing from four to five and Water Tower from zero to two.

“FBI statistics show that rape, sexual violence and gender-based violence are among the most underreported crimes,” Cunningham said.

To report sexual assault at Loyola, students can submit an online report. In emergencies, students should call 911, dial 44-911 on a campus phone, or call Campus Safety directly at (773) 508-7233.

Students can also remain anonymous when reporting, although the reporting website says doing so could limit the university’s ability to combat the crime.

“The university is trying very, very hard to have people come forward to report these things to us so that we can make this campus safer,” Cunningham said. “No matter what happens, we will try to connect the individual with everyone they need to stay safe and get any help they need.”

A resource for students to report crimes is Loyola’s Advocacy Line, which allows students to confidentially discuss their reporting options. The Advocacy Hotline can be found on the Advocacy Services website.

According to 2022 data, disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations increased 59%, from 155 to 246. Other nearby universities, such as the University of Illinois Chicago, reported 69 referrals and DePaul University reported 61.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students on campus has increased,” Des’mon Taylor, director of Residence Life, wrote in an email to The Phoenix. “While there have been no significant changes in administration or policy, we have remained focused on raising awareness and promoting a culture of responsible behavior and reporting.”

Twelve burglaries were reported at the Lake Shore campus, which Cunningham attributed to the guilt of a suspect who was arrested earlier in the semester. He explained that burglaries are counted by the incident, not the person.

In this context, public property means any property directly adjacent to the campus that belongs to the public. For example, according to page 57 of the report, only one motor vehicle theft occurred on the Lake Shore campus, while 12 occurred on Lake Shore campus public property.

“We have a lot of food delivery workers leaving their cars unlocked and running in front of restaurants, and then someone could get in and drive off,” Cunningham said. “The thefts from motor vehicles also include motorized wheelchairs and golf carts.”

According to the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council’s 2023 annual report, motor vehicle theft in the city of Chicago increased 35% from 2021 to 2022.

Measures are also being taken to include more crimes that endanger students in campus safety reporting that could be included under Clery, according to Cunningham and Tim Love, executive director of the Office for Equity and Compliance and Title IX coordinator.

According to Congress.gov, the House of Representatives passed the Stop Campus Hazing Act last September. The aim is to include hazing-related crimes in future security reports. The bill has yet to pass the Senate or reach the president’s desk.

“The university is closely monitoring any such legislative developments,” Love wrote in an email to The Phoenix. “We are committed to ensuring that Loyola’s policies and procedures always meet or exceed our legal requirements – particularly when it comes to student safety.”