Perhaps most offensive on the list of crime statistics for the 2003 calendar year was the reported number of forcible sex offenses-the number more than doubled from four incidents in 2002 to 10 in 2003. Dean of Students Ben Lieber noted that the unusually high number might be more reflective of an increase in the number of incidents reported rather than an increase in the actual number of incidents. "Statistics vary from year to year, and they depend on what crimes are reported," he said.

Most forcible sex offenses are not reported directly to Campus Police, but are directed to Gretchen Krull, the sexual assault counselor and assistant director of health education. "Any situation of sexual disrespect, including harassment related to gender or sexual orientation, is one situation too many," said Krull. "According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report in 1990, up to 10 times more than the number of rapes reported actually occur. Given that fact, these statistics only represent a portion of the incidents that occur. At Amherst, we encourage survivors and victims to come forward to tell someone."

Since 1997, students have committed more acts of larceny-the theft of an object from a public location-on campus than any other type of crime. There were 63 incidents in 2003, which is the lowest number in the past seven years. Larceny counts still constituted the highest percentage of any single type of crime at the College.

According to Chief of Campus Police John Carter, students most frequently report the theft of bicycles, wallets and laptop computers that are left unattended. He emphasized that the best way to protect against larceny is for students to lock their bicycles to the bike racks, and to keep their valuables locked in their rooms when not in use.

Twenty-five acts of burglary were reported in 2003. Burglary and larceny differ only in the location of the crime. Burglary consists of entering a private location without the right to enter and taking something. Twenty-four of the 25 cases of burglary in 2003 occurred in residential buildings.

The only other reported crimes on campus in 2003 were two cases of aggravated assault, down from four incidences in 2002.

Carter recommends that students be secure of their surroundings on campus in order to prevent personal violence. "Students can do this if they use the escort system, lock their doors, and if they don't go anywhere alone," he said.

According to Carter, campus police work hard to be accessible to students while keeping the campus safe. "The College will condone no personal violence, and we will take whatever means necessary to make people feel comfortable," he said.