Data published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows that the federal government received at least 28,900 reports of on-campus crimes in 2017. That number marked a 2% increase over the prior year.
The federal government has long tracked crimes against property or people at post-secondary academic institutions. NCES documented some of the more common criminal charges that college students find themselves facing here in the U.S.
What are the most common criminal charges college students face?
NCES data shows that burglary appears to be the most common criminal offense that college students face in the U.S. The federal agency’s data shows that at least 38% of the crimes reported by post-secondary educational institutions in 2017 were burglaries, a percentage that equates to 11,100 cases.
That same federal data shows that the second leading criminal offense that resulted in college students’ arrests was sexual assaults. These same academic institutions reported at least 10,400 forcible sex offenses, a number that equates to 36% of all crimes that occurred on-campus in 2017.
The third leading crime reported by U.S. post-secondary educational institutions in 2017 was car theft. There were 3,500 such cases documented that year. This number equates to 12% of all reported crimes that year.
Aggravated assaults and robberies rounded out the pack in terms of the top five reported crimes of U.S. college campuses in 2017.
What should you know if you’re facing criminal charges as a college student?
First, you’re not alone. Second: A single mistake shouldn’t ruin your life.
Just the same, many colleges and universities here in Virginia have a code of ethics that you agree to abide by before you’re allowed to move into on-campus housing or attend classes. They may spell out your college’s policy for suspending you from attending school pending a criminal case’s adjudication.
An attorney can advocate for you and your interests when your college career is on the line. When you’re in college, it pays to take a broad approach to your defense that will address both the criminal charges and your scholastic interests.
