The number of crimes reported on the KU campus is continuing its decade-long decline. Last year, crime reports dropped 10 percent, according to numbers released today by KU’s Public Safety Office. Overall crime reports have dropped nearly 50 percent since 1997.

“The continuing decrease in crime on campus provides the university community with real proof that through education, anti-crime technology and constant vigilance on the part of the KU Public Safety Office, real change can occur,” said Ralph V. Oliver, chief of the Public Safety Office.

The report shows 664 criminal offenses were reported in 2007. There were 737 crimes reported in 2006. The report also shows declines in property crimes, which usually make up the majority of all crimes reported on college campuses. There were 58 fewer thefts reported and 16 fewer incidents of criminal damage in 2007 than in 2006. There were also 29 fewer burglary reports, including a continued decline in burglary to vehicles in campus parking lots.

“The camera system put in place by the university around major housing areas provides a sense of safety to students on campus and may be having an impact on reducing the number of auto burglaries suffered by students in previous years,” Oliver said.

The camera system was installed in fall 2005 and allows closed-circuit camera monitoring of parking lots and public areas surrounding all major residence halls, including Templin, Lewis, Hashinger, Ellsworth, McCollum, Oliver, Gertrude Sellards Pearson and Corbin.

A full listing of criminal statistics from 1997 to 2007 can be found on the Public Safety Office’s Web site.