Introduction
Crime in South African institutions of Higher Education
is a notable fact, which often stems from the high crime rates within the
country, thereby filtering into universities and colleges of education.
Although many would perceive the university
institutions as being a safe environment where education is the common language
for everyone, it is an inevitable fact that students often become victims of
crime within the campuses or even in their own residences.
This is very traumatizing not only to the victims but
also to parents who now have to worry about their children residing in a so
called “safe environment” far away from home.
However, many Universities are faced with a tremendous
challenge of maintaining safety and security on campuses. This is especially
because of the diversity of the campus environment, with multiple buildings and
lecture halls spread out over the campus terrain. Some of the lecture venues
and residences are very secluded and isolated, thereby providing an ideal
environment for criminals to operate.
Safety and Security
So, what is meant by Safety and Security?
Here are a few definitions:
- Safety is the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, loss to a person or violation including vandalism of an organization’s property/facilities.
- Security refers to
protection of a person, building, organization or institution against threats
such as crime.
Risk management are those
policies and plans that address matters such as organizational or institutional
issues & serious events caused by safety or security violations, and
protection from liability.
Campus Safety & Security is a service provided by security personnel on campus, catering for all students, staff, alumni and visitors – the ultimate goal being to ensure a safe, harmless and conducive environment for all personnel on university property.
Universities have a moral responsibility of ensuring
the safety and security of both staff and students entering the campus. This
responsibility also extends to University residences as well as students
utilizing University shuttle services to and from campuses and residences.
Recently, there has been alarming reports of the
escalating rate of crime incidents taking place nationwide in Institutions of
Higher Learning. Measures such as access control; checking of ID cards; visible
presence of security personnel in both residences and buildings such as
libraries, key “hot spot” areas, etc. should be in place to control and monitor
criminal activities.
Security
personnel on campus are under pressure to provide effective security in order
to ensure a safe environment for staff and students. The reason for this is when
higher institutions fail to provide safety, students get discouraged from
attending such institutions and parents become reluctant to send their children
to an unsafe environment to learn. Campus crimes affects the image of
institutions, as well as the security officers’ jobs; thereby undermining the
quality of learning and students’ activities on campuses (Sewpersad & Van
Jaarsveld :47).
One of the main issues facing tertiary institutions is
managing student access, i.e., who goes where and when. This applies to both
campus as a whole and to residences.
Campuses have easy access, open at all hours which
often allows criminals to come and go and remain unnoticed (Sewpersad
& Van Jaarsveld :47).
In
institutions where 24/7 access to facilities is available, such as University
LANS and Libraries, safety and security becomes even more of a concern and a
necessity. Many students prefer to use these facilities after hours, due to the
peace and quiet - hence walking to and from their residences as well as being
in these physical spaces should give them peace of mind to work in a safe and
secure environment without worrying about having their possessions stolen or
being mugged.
These
facilities should not only have the necessary access control measures in place,
but also a security officer stationed at the entrances to monitor and check
student cards, especially after hours and report or apprehend suspicious
looking individuals.
Most
common examples of crimes in University institutions include:
- Theft inside
university premises (computers, identities, books, etc.)
- Cellphone and
laptop robberies at gun point.
- Car remote jamming
in parking areas.
- Verbal and sexual assaults.
- Cyber-crime (ATM
jamming, scamming, frauds, hacking, online drug trafficking, cyber bullying and
software piracy).
- Forced entry, alcohol & drug abuse.
Who is targeted in these crimes?
· Students more especially first year students ~ Female Staff members
- Disabled students are easy targets ~ Delivery guys (food or university facilities)
- University visitors ~ Alumni
The University of KwaZulu Natal and Risk Management Services (RMS) is making a move and taking steps
daily in the fight to protecting not only the University facilities but also improving
student safety and the University security system, including cyber-crime. https://rms.ukzn.ac.za/
Tips for
students & staff to avoid falling victim to crime
Safety tips for students’ in residences:
- Always
lock your residence door, even when you are in the room.
- Residence
hall doors must be secure at all times. If you find someone has propped a door
open, remove the barricade and secure the door.
- Report
suspicious persons you may see in residence or office corridors.
- Never
open your door to strangers.
- If you have lost your residence key, report it
immediately and have the locks changed.
- Don’t keep residence and vehicle keys on the
same keyring and never disclose your address on your keyring.
- Preferably keep all valuables, including cash,
locked in a safe.
Safety
tips for students & staff on campus:
- Always
walk in groups at night.
- Call RMS
to organise a security guard to escort you.
- Make sure
your valuables are not visible.
- Avoid
taking routes which are dark and too quiet.
- Do not
give attention to strangers at night even if they tell you they are students.
- Make sure
you park in an open area where there are CCTVs.
- Double
check to see if your car is locked when parked.
- Always
look around to see if there’s any suspicious eyes around you when parking.
- Report
any suspicious act you see on-campus.
- Try by
all means not to leave your belongings unattended.
- Keep away
from campus premises when there is a strike.
Crime
prevention strategies utilized at the University of KwaZulu Natal campuses,
Libraries and students Residences
https://ukzn.ac.za/safety-and-security-programmes/
University Security- Security personnel undergo
seasonal workshops and training sessions in order to be well trained and keep
up with the latest crimes.
Students access cards
that allow students entry into the necessary buildings but restrict access for
an unidentified person.
Visitors cards- Is for use by university alumni
or visitors which grants them access the university as well as to utilize
university facilities.
Access control- Turnstiles /
access control gates are installed in all UKZN Libraries, computer lab’s,
theatres, departments and University entrances.
24/7 CCTV- Majority of the UKZN premises in and out is fitted
with video surveillance which allows monitoring of students as well as to
identify potential crime activities.
Awareness campaigns – A series of
workshops as well as campaigns are held throughout the year in combating crime
and enforcing a safe and secured university community.
UKZN RMS & SAPS – Work hand in
hand in fighting crime in and around campus.
Conclusion
Safety and Security at Institutions of Higher Education is the
responsibility of all individuals and stakeholders. This means that we should
not only rely on the security personnel but all students, staff and management
should take the initiative as well. We all need to understand the necessity and
importance of creating a crime free and conducive University community. Hence,
always remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviors to the security
personnel.
FOR FURTHER READINGS:
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED537696.pdf
https://www.getkisi.com/guides/campus-safety-and-security
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200824172935293
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311886.2022.2110199
https://boksburgadvertiser.co.za/461598/ways-university-students-can-master-crime-prevention/
https://www.saferspaces.org.za/understand/entry/crime-in-institutions-of-higher-learning
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311886.2022.2110199 - University campuses and types of
crime: a case study of the university of KwaZulu Natal/Howard campus in the
city of Durban-South Africa / Sazelo Mkhize, Samuel Fikiri Cinni, Slindile Ngcece. Published online August
2022.
Sewpersad, S. and Van Jaarsveld, L.
2012: Campus security and safety: incorporating new technology to an old
paradigm of guarding. Acta
Criminologica: Southern African Journal
of Criminology,
CRIMSA 2011 Conference Special Edition No. 1, 2012. p. 46-55.
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