Cops and Robbers continued = rity and consequently had his own car broken in to. Something as simple as saying "Hey I saw these two men in the parkade acting kind of strange" to a security guard would have prevented the entire incident. Reporting crimes as well as suspicious activity is very important in the prevention of crimes. I know people who refuse to report their losses to Security or Facilities because they don’t think they'll get their stuff back and think that it is a waste of time to fill out the forms. You may not get your stuff back, but you might prevent someone else’s things being stolen (good karma), or you may even prevent yourself from being victimized again. Security and Facilities keep records of all auto break-ins and bike thefts so if enough students fill in the reports the Institute would have reason to pay for an additional security guard to specifically patrol the parking lot and bike racks. But if no one reports the crimes or does the paper work then it looks as though there is not a problem, and Facilities would not be able to justify spending the money for extra security personnel. Reporting crimes and suspicious activities is very important in the preven- tion of crime. I know I keep saying it, but it’s very important. Security can only do so much, it takes student involvement to actively combat crime. One thing that the students need to realize is that most of the crimes that happen within the institute are committed by other stu- dents. The most frequently reported crime is for students to have their money, wallets or purses stolen DUR- ING class. That’s right kids, the crimi- nals are your classmates. They know exactly where you keep your money and valuables and they are the ones who are interested in your art supplies. Some schmo off the street could prob- ably care less about your tubes of paint but the kid in the next studio space who can’t even afford to buy a potato for dinner would sure like to use them. You have to understand, for some stu- dents a CD amounts to a meal, a CD player could make quite a few meals. And maybe someone just wants that CD for their own collection. Now, [Pm not trying to set everyone against each other, because that can be just as detrimental to the community as apathy. But the harsh reality is that there are some students who will steal from other students. There are some students who will, out of jealousy or contempt, ruin other stu- dent’s work. But according to Facilities and Security, you’re more likely to injure yourself through art production (harmful chemicals, sharp objects, splinters) than you are to experience a theft. The most interesting point that Constable D’Arcy mentioned was that "Any crime consists of three ele- ments: the criminal, the victim, and the opportunity. The opportunity is the only element we can control. The fewer opportunities you present a criminal with the lesser the likelihood of a crim- inal victimizing you." Basically that boils down to one scary word: RESPONSIBILITY. Be aware of your surroundings, be responsible for your stuff, assume that if it is not chained down or locked up, it can and will be stolen. Don’t leave valuable things lying around. Constable D’Arcy advis- es that you avoid even carrying valuable items if at all possible. For instance, if you have next month’s rent in your wal- let and someone tries to take it you'll be that much more likely to fight for it (increasing your chances of getting hurt) than if you only carried $5 dollars around with you. ; Responsibility is a double- edged sword, it means being responsi- ble for the people around you as well as yourself. If you see some- one leave something behind, don’t just leave it there, take it to them or to the front desk lost and found, it builds good karma, believe me. I have found several lost jackets and scarves this past semester and even though I was kind of in a hurry I went ahead and turned them in. Subsequently, I ended up leaving my Jaz disk in the cafeteria one night (hey I’m not perfect, you know) and was fortunate enough to have it returned. Not only would I have been out $150 dollars in the price of the disk, but I would have lost over 40 hours of work, so I am very appreciative of the involvement and the honesty it took to return the disk. So the bottom line is, the only thing that is going to reduce crime here is for the students and staff (because I’ve been told "the staff are even worse than the students") to acquire some responsibility for ourselves, our possessions and our community. We need to be pro-active, but that does not mean we need to be confrontational. We need to be observant of the world around us, and we need to be involved. So now that you know how to protect yourself, what are you going to do about it? You cannot stop all crimes from happening, but most crimes, through education, can be prevented. Apathy breeds a perfect environment for crime to take place. Influx: Magazine March 1999 Cops and Robbers continued == rity and consequently ha his own car broken in to, Something as simple assaying "Hey I saw these two men in the parkade ating Kind of strange” to a security guard would have prevented the entire incident. Reporting crimes as well k suspicious activi is ‘ery important in the prevention of crimes. I know people who Fefte to report thei lowes to Security or Facilities because they ‘don't think they'll get their staff back and think dhat isa waste ‘of time toil out dhe forms. You may not get your stuff back, But you might prevent someone clsc's things being stolen (good Sarma}, oF you may eren prevent yoursel from being victimized again. Security and Facilities keep records of all auto breakins land bike thefts so if enough studens fil in the reports the Institute would have eaton to pay for an additonal security guard to specially patrol the parking lot and bike racks. But ifno one ‘reports the crimes or does the paper work then it Tooks as though ‘there r not a problem, and Facies would not be able to justly spending the money for extra security personnel. Reporting ‘Simes and suspicious actives is very important in the preven tion of crime. I know I keep saying it, but i's very important. Security can only do so much, i takes student involvement actively combat crime ‘One thing that the students need to realize i that most of the eximes that happen within the institute are commited by other seu dents. The most frequently reported crime is for students to have their ‘money, wallew or purses stolen DUR- ING clas. That's right Kid, the crim nals ae your classmates. They know cxacty where you keep your money Sand valuables and they are the ones ‘who are interested in your art supplies. Some schmo off the stret could prob ably cae les about your tubes of paint ‘but the Kd in the next staio space ‘who can't even afford to buy a potato for dinner would sue ike to se dem, You have to understand, for some st dents # CD amounts to a meal,a CD Player could make quite few meals ‘And maybe someone just wants tha CD for thei own coleton ‘Now; Tm not trying to set cveryone against each other, because that can be just as detrimental t the ‘community a8 apathy, But the harsh realty that there are some students tvno wil seal fom other students There are some students who wil, ott of jealousy or contempt, run oder stu ‘dent's work, But according to Pacis fand Security, you're more likely to injure yourself through art production (harmful chemicals, sharp objects, splinters) than you are to experience & theft “The most intresting point that Constable D'Arcy mentioned was that "Any rime consist of thre cle ‘ments the criminal the victim, and the Spporuniy. The oppor i the ‘opportunites you present a riminal tvith the lester the Ukelibood ofa crim inal vieimizing 00. Basically that boils down to" one seary word: RESPONSIBILITY. Be aware of yor surroundings, be responsible for your ‘uf, assume that if isnot chained ‘own of locked up, i ean and will be stolen. Don't leave valuable things Iying around. Constable D'Arcy adv cs that you avoid even earying valuable items if tall possible. For instance, if you have nest month's en in your Wal Tet and someone tries to take fe youl be dht much more likely to fight fori reasing. your chances of geting hurt than fou ony earied $5 dollars around with you Responsibility is 2 double ged sword, t means being respons ble forthe people around you a wel as youre. Ifyou se some- ‘one leave something behind, on’ just leave it there, take i them orto the front desk lore and found, i builds good Karma, ‘believe me. Thave found several lost jackets and scarves this past semester and eventhough I was Kind of ina hurry Tent ahead tnd turned them in. Subsequent, Tended up leaving my Jaz disk in the cafeteria one night (hey I'm not perfec, you know) and was fortunate enough to have i erured. Not oly would Ihave been ‘ut $150 dollar inthe pic of the disk but | would have lost over 40 hours of work, so Tam very appreciative of the involement and the honesty i took to return the disk So the bottom line i the only thing that is going to edceevime heres for the students and staff (because I've been {old "the staf are even worse than the students) to aoqite some ‘esponsibility fr ourselves, our possessions and our community ‘We nced to be pro-active, but that dors not mean we need to be confrontational We need to be observant of the World around ws sand we need tobe involved So now that you know how to protect ‘ourself what are you going todo about i? You cannot stop all crimes from happening, but most crimes, through education, can be prevented. Apathy breeds a perfect environment for crime to take place. Influx Magazine March 1999 37