Increasing Personal Safety On Campus: Implementation Of A New Personal Security System On A University Campus

Over the past decade, the frequency of violent crime on college campuses has escalated. Findings from a pilot study of an automated, cell-phone driven, personal security system tested on a college campus are presented here. Student participants (N=86) tested this system for 8 weeks and responded to questions regarding their feelings of personal safety on and off campus before and after participation in the study. Student parents (N=14) also responded to questions regarding student safety. Results indicate system users’ feelings of safety increased following participation in the pilot program. Implications for campus safety and administrative implementation are discussed.