World News

Brennan Wong: Staff Writer

When we go to a university, our parents usually wonder what would be the safest university. World News rated 285 universities and took out a few examples to find the facts and put them into a chart you would really like to remember:

Reported Crime Rates:

Lower:

- New York University

- Johns Hopkins University

- Boston University

- University of Chicago

- University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Moderate:

- Georgia Institute of Technology

- Northwestern University

- Arizona State University

- University of Southern California

- Harvard University

Higher:

- University of Colorado

- University of California, Davis

-University of Florida

- University of Massachusetts Amherst

- Duke University

Brennan Wong: Staff Writer

Photo: Rushabh Shah

Sometimes, our parents ask, "What kind of technology is there in universities and colleges nowadays for safety?" World News asked 291 universities and colleges, measuring how ready each are to face threats of burglary, massacres, student on student shootings and fire:

Brennan Wong: Staff Writer

Courtesy of Reader's Digest

Crime

• Does the campus feel safe to you?
• After you take the admissions tour, can you take one led by the campus security?
• Is the school monitored by a security camera 24/7? Or is the video merely checked after the problem?
• Are there callout boxes throughout the campus?
• Does the school use electronic-access card keys and newer campus alert systems?
• Are there redundant forms of security, like cameras, call buttons, or rotating patrols?
• Can you talk to proffessors, upperclass men, and local residents about security? What do the local police say about college/university security?

Alcohol and Drugs

•  Is there a well defined alcohol and drug policy? How vigourously is it enforced?
• Are residential staffers trained to spot abuse and offer help?
• Does the college/university inform you of arrests and hospitalizations related to drugs and alcohol?
• How many students are fraternites or sororities? (They tend to drink more heavily.)
• How many people are involved in community service? (They tend to drink less.)

 Fire

• Are there smoke or carbon monoxide detectors?
• Are there sprinklers and fire extinguishers?
• Are there two exits? Do the windows open?
• Are there regular fire drills?
• Does the furnace get regular maintenance, and is the electrical system up-to-date?

Brennan Wong: Staff Writer 
 

In the wake of Tuesday’s (Sept 16 ,2008 ) shootings at Bendale Business and Technical Institute in Toronto, one of the biggest questions being asked is how to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again. There are many reasons for school shootings across the province - lack of family and social support for young people, easy access to weapons, and our violent culture. Kids who come from impoverished backgrounds always hang out with gangs because their parents are hard at work and do not have enough time to care for them. Many children from single-parent families are exposed to the dangerous streets full of gangs and criminals. Without supervision, many children are attracted to gangs and their violent like style which can be seen on television. Gang fights are becoming more common, and they seem hard to prevent. These    gang shootings are happening more often because it is very easy to obtain weapons. What would have been a fist fight 10 years ago can now end in a fatal gun showdown. 9 out of 10 people think that the criminal justice system should be more harsh. Criminals should be prosecuted and put in jail for at least 20 years, especially for commiting gun related crimes. However, many people in Canada do not support long sentences or the death penalty. "I will pass a law that shall make sure that no handguns can be illegally trafficked from the U.S." says David Miller, the Toronto Mayor. "This will help all of us reduce the number of crimes commited with guns." Mayor Miller also suggested that after-school youth programs would be a way to keep children off the streets.