Chico State recently published its Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports, as required by the Clery Act. It updates the crime statistics, specifically that which is required by the Clery law, with data from 2021-2023.

The ASR also updates policy changes that have been implemented before the report is published. The most significant change that took place this year was related to the Nondiscrimination Policy — Title IX. The school had recently responded to an audit of their 2023 ASR.

The ASR contains 21 categories of Clery reportable crime statistics. The newest data shows that some crime numbers have risen. Drug, weapons and liquor law arrests on campus all rose in 2023, as did domestic violence and stalking.

Some upticks in crime reports may be attributed to growing access to and comfort with reporting certain behaviors. The school has made it a point to educate students regarding the many ways that perceived criminal behavior can be reported, said Erin Tarabini, Chico State’s Clery reporting director.

In spring of 2023 the anonymous reporting page went public for the campus community.

“It’s a place where people who maybe are not comfortable sitting down and talking to somebody directly to report something, they can put in a report online,” Tarabini said.

It is important to note that three years of a limited data set can not provide a comprehensive understanding of how crime is trending on campus, but there are more resources for anyone interested.

The University Police Department maintains a daily crime log. Requests can also be made to the school’s Clery office for the last few ASR’s, but any specific crime information not found in the ASR or daily logs may be subject to various privacy laws and policies, Tarabini said.

The Clery Center also publishes a yearly report on their work. The highlight of the latest report is their focus on bringing attention to hazing as a harmful issue on college campuses by promoting the Stop Campus Hazing Act.

Sean Shanks can be reached at [email protected].