Can High Reported Crime Be A Good Sign?
Nearly 1/3 of the colleges we analyzed either did not report crime or reported no incidents of crime. Zero incidents of reported crime may be nice to see, but it does not necessarily mean the school is safer, as it could indicate lax reporting. Higher incidents of reported crime could mean the school is stricter about law enforcement and reporting. Remember, just because incidents are not reported does not mean they do not happen.

On This Page You'll Find:
- Overall Crime and Safety
- On-Campus Crime and Safety
- Des Moines Campus Neighborhood Crime and Safety
- Off-Campus (Drake Affiliated) Crime and Safety
Overall Crime Stats: 197 Incidents Reported
Drake University reported 197 safety-related incidents involving students on or near campus or other Drake affiliated properties in 2019. Of the 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,598 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 4,869 that works out to about 40.46 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 3,467 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did Drake.
Reported Incidents by Category
Crime and safety incidents fall into four broad categories. Disciplinary actions represented 90.9% of all incidents. Arrests related to possession represented 4.6% of all incidents. Violence against women represented none of all incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented 4.6% of all incidents.
Reported Incidents by Location
89.3% of all incidents occurred on-campus. 2.0% of all incidents occurred in the Des Moines neighborhood surrounding the campus. 8.6% of all incidents occurred off campus but while on school affiliated property.
On-Campus Crime Stats: 176 Incidents Reported
Drake University reported 176 safety-related incidents involving students while on campus in 2019. Of the 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,583 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 4,869 that works out to about 36.15 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 3,482 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did Drake.
Reported Incidents by Category
Disciplinary actions represented 94.3% of all on-campus incidents. Arrests related to possession represented 2.8% of all on-campus incidents. Violence against women represented none of all on-campus incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented 2.8% of all on-campus incidents.
Des Moines Neighborhood Crime Stats: 4 Incidents Reported
Drake University reported 4 safety-related incidents involving students while on Des Moines public property near campus in 2019. Of the 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,262 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 4,869 that works out to about 0.82 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 3,134 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did Drake.
Reported Incidents by Category
Disciplinary actions represented 50.0% of all campus neighborhood incidents. Arrests related to possession represented 50.0% of all campus neighborhood incidents. Violence against women represented none of all campus neighborhood incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented none of all campus neighborhood incidents.
Drake Affiliated (off campus) Crime Stats: 17 Incidents Reported
Drake University reported 17 safety-related incidents involving students while off campus but still on property owned or controlled by the school in 2019. Of the 1,916 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 1,793 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 4,869 that works out to about 3.49 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 1,792 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did Drake.
Reported Incidents by Category
Disciplinary actions represented 64.7% of all off-campus incidents. Arrests related to possession represented 11.8% of all off-campus incidents. Violence against women represented none of all off-campus incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented 23.5% of all off-campus incidents.
Important Questions to Ask About Safety
- Even in low-crime areas, students still run the risk of encountering violence and unsafe situations. What kind of policies does Drake have in place to protect students or help students who are victims of crimes?
- How secure are the dorm rooms and other buildings? Would a break in be easy for an intruder?
- What kind of punishments or penalties are in place for students accused of or convicted of crimes?
- One way a student may feel more comfortable might be to take a self-defense or safety class. Are there classes like this offered at Drake?