College campus violence needs to be addressed

There are legitimate concerns when it comes to violence in schools. We often hear about mass shootings and aggressive actions toward younger students. However, some of the most egregious crimes target college students and I don’t believe that this population gets the recognition they deserve.

I ran across a recent article about 22 year old Laken Riley who was murdered while jogging on a trail at the University of Georgia. The tragedy quickly had me reminiscing on the unforgettable and unnerving horrorshow that took place in the off campus housing at the University of Idaho in 2022 where four students were viciously murdered.

That particular case was rough for me considering that I had both a daughter and son attending college at that time. Myself, like many others, were left questioning the safety in our highest educational institutions. But how it affected my daughter was what really captured my attention. She became slightly obsessed with the case, and still follows it today, because it had a particularly memorable impact on her. When asked why, this was her response.

“Probably because it was so close and it was in a place like Montana. They were also my age and it was just such a brutal thing that happened. It was so scary,” she said. “It could happen to anybody. It could happen anywhere.”

The trial for the man charged with the murders, Bryan Kohberger, is in the process of being scheduled. The court date could take place this summer, but may possibly get pushed to 2025.

As tragic and horrendous as that story is, similar narratives are being seen in colleges throughout the country.

“U.S. colleges are on edge after four people were killed in three separate on-campus incidents in Kentucky, Georgia and Colorado over just 10 days,” reported FOX News.

“Most recently, Campbellsville University student Charles Escalera, 21, was charged with murder and burglary in connection with the Feb. 24 death of Josiah Kilman, 18, of Columbia Falls, Montana. Both students were on the school’s wrestling team,” the article stated.

Roughly a week before Laken Riley’s murder, two people were shot to death in a dorm room on the campus at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Their names were Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26.

My initial assumption was that college campus crimes have been increasing over the past few decades, or years anyway. So imagine my surprise when I started researching this column and discovered that, in reality, numbers have been dropping quite drastically. 

A National Center for Education Statistics survey reported that between 2010 and 2020, the overall number of reported on-campus crimes decreased by 34 percent (from 32,100 to 21,200), but most of this decrease occurred between 2019 and 2020, during the first year of the pandemic. 

This study hardly stands alone. There are plenty of reliable sources that concur these findings. So why this current drastic spike? Some might say illegal immigrants have something to do with it, and those concerns are valid. In fact, Laken Riley, the first victim mentioned in this story, was murdered by an undocumented immigrant.

It’s challenging to get solid statistics on this subject for one obvious reason; it’s hard to track illegal immigrants. They work very hard to avoid detection. However, evidence points to the opposite. An article in the Washington Post published today suggests otherwise. 

“There is strong evidence that all immigrants — in the United States legally or otherwise — are more law-abiding than native-born American citizens. Most immigrants are motivated to do well in their new country, especially if they bring skills that can enhance local economies, and so there is little incentive to break the law,” the article explained. 

Is the probability, perhaps, that these crimes are being committed by unmotivated and unskilled individuals? You know, the kinds of illegal immigrants who are involved in drugs, black markets, trafficking operations, et cetera? I’m a little apprehensive in going too deep into this theory because it dances dangerously close to lines of discrimination, but it’s certainly worth mentioning.

Regardless of the statistics, violence on college campuses, and many school campuses for that matter, are littered with random acts of violence. If you have loved ones or children that attend a college or University I encourage arming them with a variety of safety tips. The University of South Florida Sarasota – Manatee campus website published some useful suggestions. Here are a few:

Have a plan and be prepared to use it. Trust your instincts and avoid dangerous situations. Always know your location and where you can find help. Always check your vehicle before entering. Stay on busy streets if you think you are being followed. And avoid drive-up ATM machines. Many of these ATMs are positioned so that the machine is between you and passing traffic. They are usually in the rear of the bank parking area, away from the road. This provides excellent “cover” for criminals.