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
- Washington Campus Neighborhood Crime and Safety
- Off-Campus (GWU Affiliated) Crime and Safety
Overall Crime Stats: 472 Incidents Reported
George Washington University reported 472 safety-related incidents involving students on or near campus or other GWU affiliated properties in 2019. Of the 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,834 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 28,172 that works out to about 16.75 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 2,895 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did GWU.
Reported Incidents by Category
Crime and safety incidents fall into four broad categories. Disciplinary actions represented 75.4% of all incidents. Arrests related to possession represented 2.8% of all incidents. Violence against women represented 5.5% of all incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented 16.3% of all incidents.
Reported Incidents by Location
94.9% of all incidents occurred on-campus. 4.7% of all incidents occurred in the Washington neighborhood surrounding the campus. 0.4% of all incidents occurred off campus but while on school affiliated property.
On-Campus Crime Stats: 448 Incidents Reported
George Washington University reported 448 safety-related incidents involving students while on campus in 2019. Of the 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,835 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 28,172 that works out to about 15.90 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 2,984 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did GWU.
Reported Incidents by Category
Disciplinary actions represented 78.6% of all on-campus incidents. Arrests related to possession represented 2.2% of all on-campus incidents. Violence against women represented 5.1% of all on-campus incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented 14.1% of all on-campus incidents.
Washington Neighborhood Crime Stats: 22 Incidents Reported
George Washington University reported 22 safety-related incidents involving students while on Washington public property near campus in 2019. Of the 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,793 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 28,172 that works out to about 0.78 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 3,113 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did GWU.
Reported Incidents by Category
Disciplinary actions represented 18.2% of all campus neighborhood incidents. Arrests related to possession represented 13.6% of all campus neighborhood incidents. Violence against women represented 13.6% of all campus neighborhood incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented 54.5% of all campus neighborhood incidents.
GWU Affiliated (off campus) Crime Stats: 2 Incidents Reported
George Washington University reported 2 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, 1,366 of them reported fewer incidents than this.
Based on a student body of 28,172 that works out to about 0.07 reports per thousand students. In 2019, 1,182 colleges and universities reported fewer incidents per thousand students than did GWU.
Reported Incidents by Category
Disciplinary actions represented none of all off-campus incidents. Arrests related to possession represented none of all off-campus incidents. Violence against women represented none of all off-campus incidents. Arrests for major crimes represented 100.0% 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 GWU 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 GWU?
