University of Memphis saw spike in campus crime; see how it compares with other colleges
With COVID-19 essentially out the door, students are back on campuses full time, and so is crime.
USA TODAY did a study into the crimes reported on college and university campuses across the country. In this study, they found that crime increased to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. The numbers were based on reporting to the Department of Education via the Clery Act.
Here is what we know about the numbers.
View USA TODAY's Crimes on Campus map for detailed information about University of Memphis or other colleges and universities. Don't see a map? Click here.
What is the Clery Act?
The Clery Act, established in 1990, was created in response to the rape and murder of college student Jeanne Clery in her resident hall.
As a result of this act, all higher education institutions that receive federal funding must collect and make campus crime statistics public. The goal is to increase university transparency and keep students safer.
Clery Act figures are all reported by the institutions, and the Department of Education does not verify them independently. Rather, the department conducts periodic reviews of Clery Act compliance.
What crimes are reported under the Clery Act?
There are four major categories that get reported under the Clery Act.
Criminal offenses like murder, sexual assault, burglary or arson.
Hate crimes
Violence against women like stalking and domestic violence.
Arrests and referrals such as weapons law and liquor law violations.
The Clery Act requires schools to report motor vehicle thefts. It should be noted that this does not just include cars, but it also includes scooters, electric bikes and gold carts.
What do these numbers mean for the future?
Based on the numbers for 2022, it can be expected that numbers will see an increase in 2023 as well.
According to USA TODAY's report, crime on almost 6,000 institutions increased 8% from 2019 even though enrollment dipped during this time. Compared to the year-over-year changes prior to 2019, the recent spike represents the biggest increase post-secondary institutions that receive federal funding since they began reporting campus statistics.
The increases were largely driven by a surge in reported motor vehicle theft. The numbers more than doubled from 2019 and accounted for more than a quarter of the 2022 offenses.
What is crime like at the University of Memphis?
The map identifies only the four crime categories associated with the Clery Act. In these four categories, the University of Memphis was the highest in the city for two of them. In 2022, there were over 21,000 students enrolled.
The University of Memphis' campus saw a 95% increase from 2021's 39 criminal offenses to 2022's 76. The numbers show that 51 of these criminal offenses were related to motor vehicle theft and 13 were burglaries.
Here is the breakdown for 2022:
Criminal offenses: 76
Violence against women: 17
Hate crimes: 0
Unfounded crimes: 0
What safety resources does the University of Memphis have?
The UofM has the following phone numbers listed as "Campus Safety Numbers:"
Emergency: 911
UofM Police (Emergency): 901-678-4357 (HELP)
UofM Police (Non-emergency): 901-678-3848
Student After Hours Escort: 901-678-4633 (HOME)
Special Information Hotline: 901-678-0888
Emergency Information Line:
What is crime like at other Memphis colleges?
While Rhodes College and Christian Brothers University don't have numbers as high as the University of Memphis, the two campuses still see their own fair share of crime.
Rhodes College
Criminal offenses: 27
Violence against women: 6
Hate crimes: 0
Unfounded crimes: 0
Christian Brothers University
Criminal offenses: 9
Violence against women: 2
Hate crimes: 0
Unfounded crimes: 0
USA TODAY contributed to this report
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What's the crime rate at Memphis university? See how it compares
