FBI report marks a decline in violent crimes reported on Michigan college campuses
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The latest crime data from the FBI suggest college campuses in Michigan are becoming safer with violent crime reports down in 2017 for a number of schools. However, it’s unclear if less crime is occurring or if fewer incidents are being reported.
Reports of sexual at violent crimes at Western Michigan University hit a four-year low in 2017, according to numbers from the FBI.
In a statement to Newschannel 3, A WMU spokesperson said, “One crime is one too many, but we're pleased that our crime rate is relatively low—and at a four-year low, according to FBI statistics. Our public safety department was recently recognized as No. 3 in the nation for its safety initiatives. WMU puts a lot of effort into community policing and crime prevention, and we're pleased those efforts are working.”
A total of nine violent crimes were reported to WMU police, including two sexual assaults.
According to FBI data, WMU ranks fifth with the highest reports of violent crimes at a public university or college in Michigan per student.
Michigan State University had the third highest violent crime rate, with about 48 incidents per 100,00 students, according to the 2017 statics from the FBI.
Those numbers show half of the 24 violent crimes reported at MSU in 2017 were rapes.
One of the smallest public universities in the state, Northern Michigan University topped the list with the most reported of violent crime in 2017 with 13 rapes reported. A major spike from the previous year, the sexual assaults reported on campus raised the university’s violent crime rate to 165 incidents per 100,000 students.
2017 Reports of Violent Crime by the FBI:
NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY – 7,865 students
- TOTAL: 13 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 13 REPORTED RAPES
- 165.289 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY – 21,246
- TOTAL: 16 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 10 REPORTED RAPES
- 6 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS
- 75.308 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY – 50,340 students
- TOTAL: 24 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 11 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS
- 12 RAPES
- 1 ROBBERY
- 47.676 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR – 44,718 students
- TOTAL: 18 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 12 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS
- 4 RAPES
- 2 ROBBERIES
- 40.252 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY –23,227 students
- TOTAL: 9 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 6 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS
- 3 REPORTED RAPES
- 38.748 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY – 9,105 students
- TOTAL: 3 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 2 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS REPORTED
- 1 RAPE REPORTED
- 32.949 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
FERRIS STATE –14,187 students
- TOTAL: 4 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 2 REPORTED RAPES
- 2 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS REPORTED
- 28.195 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 13,583 students
- TOTAL: 3 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 2 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS REPORTED
- 1 RAPE REPORTED
- 22.086 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
SCHOOL CRAFT COLLEGE – 11,339 students
- TOTAL: 2 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 1 RAPE REPORTED
- 1 ROBBERY REPORTED
- 17.638 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN FLINT –8,044 students
- TOTAL: 2 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 1 VIOLENT CRIME REPORTED
- 1 AGGRAVATED ASSAULT REPORTED
- 12.432 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
MACOMB COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 21,734 students
- TOTAL: 2 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 2 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS REPORTED
- 9.202 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY – 25,986 students
- TOTAL: 4 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 2 REPORTED RAPES
- 2 AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS REPORTED
- 15.393 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY – 25,460 students
- TOTAL: 2 VIOLENT CRIMES REPORTED
- 2 REPORTED RAPES
- 7.855 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY – 20,012 students
- TOTAL: 1 VIOLENT CRIME REPORTED
- 1 AGGRAVATED ASSAULT REPORTED
- 4.997 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
OAKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 18,923 students
- TOTAL: 1 VIOLENT CRIME REPORTED
- 1 AGGRAVATED ASSAULT REPORTED
- 5.285 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 100,000 STUDENTS
The colleges listed below had zero reports of violent crime in 2017, according to the FBI:
DELTA – 9,132 students
GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 14,464 students
KALAMAZOO VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 8,549 students
KIRTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 1,529 students
KELLOGG COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 4,815 students
MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 8,013 students
MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY – 7,252 students
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DEARBORN – 9,131 students
