A substantial increase in alcohol-related arrests at Dartmouth last year was due to New Hampshire's new internal possession law, according to College officials and Hanover Police Chief Nicholas Giaccone.
The number of alcohol violations increased 22 percent in 2003, to 115 from 94 in 2002, according to statistics released last week in accordance with the federal Clery Act.
As was reported Monday, the greatest increase was in violations that occurred on "non-campus properties," which hit 51 from 21 in 2002.
Since January 2003, New Hampshire law has made it illegal for underage drinkers to have a blood alcohol content of greater than .02. Giaccone said Hanover Police are still encountering the same number of intoxicated students, but are just making more arrests due to the law.
Drug arrests also reached a recent low of three in 2003, while internal College drug violations hit a recent high.
"It could be based on what staffing levels we had," said Giaccone, noting that the department was short a few officers last year and that arrest numbers in general vary from year to year.
The Clery statistics also indicated an increase in burglaries on campus, but college officials say those numbers could be cut dramatically if students locked the doors to their rooms.
"We would encourage people, even if they're in their room, just to keep it locked," said College Proctor Harry Kinne, director of the Department of Safety and Security.
Kinne estimates some 90 percent of the burglaries noted in the Clery report, which he said defines burglaries as "unwanted entry with intent to steal," come because of unlocked rooms.
The rise in burglary numbers comes despite the fact that students have been required to scan their Dartmouth ID card to get into dorms since 2002. College officials, though, say the card has other benefits.
"The intent is to make it more difficult for non-College-related people to get in," said Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman. "Unfortunately ... students steal from students and that will probably continue to happen."
According to Redman, students shouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security because of the card swipe system -- they should lock their doors and bikes and call Safety and Security if they see someone suspicious.
He also said students should be careful about letting other people, particularly adults, into their buildings.
Redman said the high amount of internal alcohol violations occurring in residential facilities -- 151 out of the total 254 reported in 2003 -- is due in part to Safety and Security officers finding drunk underage students in dorms when being called there on noise complaints.
Within the College, there is a trend of repeat alcohol violators moving up the chain of discipline, according to Marcia Kelly, the Director of Undergraduate Judicial Affairs.
"My hope would be once people get themselves into trouble at that level, that they get the message they need to do something about their drinking," Kelly said, adding that the system also tries to provide help and counseling for these students.
Also within the disciplinary system during the 2002-03 academic year were 21 cases where students were accused of violating the Academic Honor Principle.
"At least half of them are people who've made a very poor choice," said Kelly, noting that whether handing in a paper late or taking a zero, "anything is better" than plagiarism.
Rape reports, meanwhile, at were at a five-year high this past academic year, but that is not necessarily bad news, according to Abby Tassel, coordinator of the College's Sexual Abuse Awareness Program.
"The assumption is that they're happening, but they don't get reported," said Tassel. A total of 24 rape reports were received by Tassel over a 12-month period ending in August, up from 14 the year before, according to statistics she provided.
There were also 21 reports of "other unwanted sexual contact," one case of attempted rape, and nine reports of relationship abuse.
Tassel said reporting cases of rape or other sexual abuse can give victims a chance to talk about what happened to them, get a sense they are doing what they can to prevent other similar incidents, and bring awareness to the issue.
"It can be reflected that this is really happening -- the world takes it more seriously," she added.
Tassel noted that she discusses with victims the option of further reporting abuse to Safety and Security, the dean's office or the police.
In 2003, Safety and Security received eight reports of sexual offenses, six of which occurred in residential facilities, according to the Clery statistics. That was up from three reports in 2002.
Some studies have shown as many as one in four female college students are the victims of rape or attempted rape.
