9 March, 2014

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

2801 S. University Avenue
Little Rock, Arkansas-72204

Mr. Edward L. Smith
Director
UALR Public Safety
University Plaza Suite 700
Little Rock, Arkansas-72204

Dear Sir:

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to research on the criminal activities and its
effects around UALR campus, Little Rock. Enclosed here is my final report, Study Regarding
Criminal Activities in UALR Campus. I suggested some solutions which can be implemented to
reduce the criminal activities within the UALR campus at the end of this report. Reporting
crimes at the right time and working out together with the Public Safety to solve common
problems in the campus are some of the recommendations.

If I can provide any other information as you review this report, please contact me. I hope this
report is useful in your future plans.

Yours truly,
Barasha Hiloidhari
Undergraduate
Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology

























Study Regarding Criminal Activities in UALR Campus









for
Edward L. Smith
Director, UALR Public Safety
Little Rock, Arkansas










by
Barasha Hiloidhari
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering











March 16, 2014
ii

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................................................................III
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1
BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND THE RESPONSIBLE FACTORS........................................................................................................ 1
1.1 CRIME INCIDENTS-EVIDENCES..................................................................................................................................................... 2
1.2 REASONS BEHIND CRIME ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................................................... 2
CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
RECOMMENDATION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3
REFERENCES (MLA) ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4
APPENDIX.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 CRIME RATE STATISTICS BY CITY-DATA.COM FOR LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS..................................................................................... 5
2.2 CRIME STATISTICS IN UALR (UPDATED BY UALR PUBLIC SAFETY) ................................................................................................. 6

























iii

Abstract
The purpose of the report is to study the criminal activities in UALR campus and provide some
useful solutions to reduce the degree of severity of the problem. The Crime Statistics of UALR
Public Safety provides evidences of the crimes in and around the university campus. The
university campus witnesses crimes like theft, robbery, burglary, motor vehicle theft frequently.
Lack of awareness about crimes is one reason behind the increase of crime activities over the
years. Reporting the crimes, working together with the Public Safety, and helping the crime
victims are some recommendations to reduce the crime rate and maintain prosperity in the
UALR campus.



































1


Introduction
Crime activities in the university campus are one major problem that constantly affects the
mental state of the students, employees, and administrative body of any university. UALR in
recent years has also faced criminal activities like theft, robbery, suicide etc. to a large extent.
The statistics logged by the UALR Public Safety clearly states that the university has frequent
incidents of suicide attempts, robbery, motor vehicle theft, property damage and many more.
This report examines the current scenario of the crime activities in UALR and influencing factors
which results in proliferation of criminal behavior in individuals. A section in the report also
contains recent evidences of violence and crime incidents to support the proposal statements,
followed by some views by Jennifer Sibley, Crime Prevention Officer, and UALR Public safety.
The report ends with some feasible suggestions like reporting crimes, working out with the
Public Safety, and helping the ones in need.
Background
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Reports, Little Rock is 34
t h
in the list
of the crime cities of the United States. The UALR campus is located in the southern part of the
city. The southern part of the city is under constant threat of criminal activities, and somehow it
also affects the crime rate in the university campus. According to the Crime Statistics for UALR
Main Campus by UALR Public Safety, the most common crimes within the campus is theft,
robbery less than $1000 value, motor vehicle theft. The Crime log/Fire log of the UALR Public
Safety from January, 2014 through March, 2014 have records of suicides, criminal mischiefs-1
st

degree, vehicle theft suicide, property damage which clearly states that crime activities are still
active around.
Apart from the crime reports in the UALR Public Safety records, there are many
evidences of unreported crime activities in and around the campus. Many international students
from different countries of the world stay in the apartments near the university campus to
minimize their living expenses. The UALR News Forum has many of those issues published
regularly. During the fall 2013, two students of UALR were gun downed in the South Oaks
Apartments, 3401 Fair Park Blvd, near the university campus, just behind the parking lot. The
incident was reported as such that one of the guys was kept at gun point and robbed, whereas the
other managed to run and inform the emergency squad. Meanwhile, the guy at gunpoint was
forced by the robbers to drive as fast as possible towards the downtown to avoid the police chase,
and while he was, the robbers snatched all his money and credit cards. This is one of the
evidence that shows the degree of crime activities in the university.
This report discusses the current rate of crime in the UALR campus, and assesses the
reasons behind the development of these crime activities within the campus. The goal of this
report is to come up with some valuable suggestions like reporting crimes, working out with
UALR Public Safety, and helping the victims to minimize the crime scenario in the UALR
campus.

Criminal Activities and the Responsible Factors
The section contains some evidences of the criminal activities in UALR in the last four years. It
includes a summary on the influencing factors responsible for the development of the criminal
behavior in any individual. The section ends with the views from one of the officers of UALR
Public Safety.
2

1.1 Crime Incidents-Evidences
Crime incidents in UALR are mostly related to robbery, theft, motor vehicle theft, and property
damage in and around the university campus.
According to some reported cases in the UALR Public Safety, evidences prove that most
of the international students are the targets of victimization. During the Thanksgiving Week of
2013, an incident was reported in the apartments near the university campus. Two students of
Saudi Arabia were shot in front of their apartment. The conditions of the students were very
critical. One of them was in intensive care unit for a long period. Eventually, it was found that
those students left UALR without completing their degree. A similar incident happened during
February of 2013 with another UALR student. He was a PhD student from India and was gang
robbed while he was going back to his apartment at around 8 pm in the evening. His debit cards,
iphone, including watch were snatched away. These are some of those incidents which help us to
understand the effect of the crime activities among the UALR students. Most of the victimized
students leave the institution without completing their degree.
The Crime Statistics of the UALR Public Safety from 2010 through 2012 highlights that
there has been quite a few number of arrest for drugs on campus, while a large number of them
were arrested from public property. In addition to drug abuse, there were incidents where some
of the people were arrested for carrying weapons illegally. The rate of burglary has increased
from 7 to 10 from 2010 to 2012 according to the Crime Statistics of UALR Public safety. These
evidences hold a special concern, as it is effecting the peaceful environment of the campus.
1.2 Reasons behind Crime Activities
A number of conclusions are drawn about the reasons behind crime activities in a place.
Databases and sources very effectively highlight some of them.
Dooley, Olson, and Kane explain the relationship between criminal activities and
recidivism, which means act of repeating undesirable criminal behavior. Their research reveals
that the rates of prisoners in jail are most often the ones who has been in jail once or twice
before. Once the criminals are bailed from the jail, they avoid criminal activities for some time.
But sooner or later, most of them tend to get influenced again by their peers, friends and get
involved in criminal activities again (6-8). This piece of information supports the evidence from
the Crime Log of UALR Public Safety. According to Police Sergeants of the UALR Public
Safety, the suspects or the arrested people are the ones who previously had criminal records. The
same groups of people are reported for theft, robbery or burglary now and then.
According to Jennifer Sibley, Crime Prevention Officer, UALR Public Safety, the most
obvious reason of the prevailing crime activities is lack of awareness. Many incidents go
unreported and the criminals move around freely. As a result, the ratio of the reported crimes is
far below the ones that go unreported. She even mentioned that the individuals just walk pass
even if they see somebody in trouble. She said that the passerby dont even bother to inform the
Public Safety to help the victims; rather they stay out leaving the victim suffer. Her point is very
much relevant as it has been noticed that among the students of UALR, especially the
international students avoid filing a report even if they are threatened. This is one of those
reasons that the criminals attack the internationals most of the time.
The UALR campus is located in one of the crime prone areas of Little Rock. South west
Little Rock has the history of gang violence and other criminal activities. According to OBrien,
Daffern, Meng, and Stuart, the risk factors for criminal activities and violence involve influence
of various domains like individual, peer, family, school, and community. The events and
3

incidents associate with life, a lot of time affect the mindset of the youth. The negative life
events in an individuals life results in lowered self esteem (421-422). Some of the criminals
arrested by the UALR Public Safety are found facing such family disturbances during their
childhood. Moreover, the past records of crime and violence in the place of habitat also
influenced these individuals to acquire the criminal behavior.
Conclusion
After conducting a thorough analysis of the criminal activities in the UALR campus, some good
conclusions could be made on the reasons behind the criminal activities on and around the
campus. Based on the evidences found and the crimes reported, a conclusion that can be made is
that there is lack of awareness among the students, residents, and local people staying on campus
and near the university campus. Individuals are not aware of the fact that negligence in reporting
crimes can result in some dangerous situations like gang violence, hate crimes in the university
avenue in the future.
Secondly, the criminals arrested are found either associated with crime activities
previously or are seen to have negative life experience like family violence or economic
instability. Thus, another conclusion can be made that criminal and family background play a
crucial role in the development of the criminal behavior.
The crime activities in UALR are just a microscopic view of the problem of criminal
activities and violence in the society. But, the problem cannot be neglected just by overlooking
by the number of crimes in UALR as compared to other places in the U.S. The report ends with
some feasible solutions in the next section.
Recommendation
To reduce the issue of criminal activities in UALR, it is not necessary to prepare for some strong
strategic defense method. There are some small steps which if followed by everybody in the
campus can bring down the threat incredibly.
The first step to reduce crimes in the campus is reporting in case of any threats or
suspects found. It is never too late to inform the Police Authority in case of any discrepancy. The
UALR Public Safety can organize some awareness workshop to familiarize the students,
basically the international students who are not aware of the law and order of the U.S. These
groups of students most often are not aware of how to assist for help under critical circumstances
like theft, robbery, or any physical abuse.
The second solution recommended is that working out together with the local Public
Safety, for UALR campus, UALR Public Safety is the one. Discussing the common problems
with the police authority can result in much better solutions than neglecting the threats for long.
Individuals can better understand the circumstances of the crimes than the police authority that
comes during the crime event. Sharing the thoughts and coming up with a common solution with
the Public Safety will be an effective solution to reduce the criminal rates to a large extent.
UALR Public Safety can take initiative in organizing such forum where individuals can work
together with them and resolve some crime related issues.
The third solution is to help whoever is in need. Individuals staying in the campus can
take initiative to report incidents within the campus if they see any. They need to realize even if
they are not the ones who are victimized, they can protect the ones in trouble. On their part
UALR Public Safety can organize workshops where they teach self defense skills, assist with
counseling sessions for the people with criminal background to prevent proliferation of the
criminal behavior.
4

The above recommended solutions can work to a large extent in minimizing the crime
activities in the university campus to a large extent. If every individual plays their part well in
bringing down the crime, then the day is not far when the crime statistics in the UALR Public
Safety will improve drastically.
References (MLA)


Benda,Brent B., Nancy J. Thomas, and Robert Flynn Corwyn. From Adolescent Serious
Offender to Adult Felon: A Predictive Study of Offense Progression. Journal of Offender
Rehabilitation.32.(2001).79-108.Web.

Berman, Stephanie J. View at your Own Risk: Gang Movies and Spectator
Violence.12Loy.L.A.Ent.L.J. (1992).477.Web.

Daffern, Michael, Kate OBrien, Chua Chi Meng, and Thomas Stuart D.M. Youth gang
affiliation, violence, and criminal activities: A review of motivational, risk, and protective
factors. Aggression and Violent Behavior 18.4 .(July/August 2013).417.Web.

Dooley, Brendan, PhD, Candice M. Kane, Ph.D., David E. Olson, Ph.D., The relationship
between gang membership and inmate recidivism Research Bulletin.2:12 (May 2004).1-
12.Web.

Esbensen, Finn-aage, and Chris Melde. Gangs and Violence: Disentangling the Impact of Gang
Membership on the Level and Nature of Offending. Journal of Quantitative Chronology 29.2.(
June 2013).143-166.Web.

Sibley, Jennifer. Personal Interview.12 March.2014













5



Appendix

2.1 Crime rate statistics by city-data.com for Little Rock, Arkansas

Type 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Murders 51 40 32 25 37 45
(per 100,000) -27.6 -21.3 -16.8 -13 -19 -23
Rapes 123 132 171 149 161 137
(per 100,000) -66.6 -70.2 -89.9 -77.2 -82.6 -69.9
Robberies 1,022 819 799 859 858 807
(per 100,000) -553.6 -435.7 -420.1 -445.3 -440 -411.6
Assaults 1,791 1,365 1,793 1,905 1,849 1,590
(per 100,000) -970.2 -726.1 -942.7 -987.4 -948.3 -811
Burglaries 3,932 3,576 4,412 4,241 4,655 4,244
(per 100,000) -
2,130.10
-
1,902.40
-
2,319.60
-
2,198.30
-
2,387.30
-
2,164.70
Thefts 10,915 10,272 10,253 9,440 9,756 10,465
(per 100,000) -
5,913.00
-
5,464.50
-
5,390.50
-
4,893.20
-
5,003.40
-
5,337.80
Auto thefts 1,265 1,155 1,163 1,115 1,093 1,095
(per 100,000) -685.3 -614.4 -611.4 -578 -560.5 -558.5
Arson 93 89 105 100 99 87
(per 100,000) -50.4 -47.3 -55.2 -51.8 -50.8 -44.4
City-data.com crime rate
(higher means more crime,
U.S. average = 301.1)
894.3 762.9 833.2 801.3 824.1 784.2



6

2.2 Crime statistics in UALR (updated by UALR public safety)

Criminal
Offenses
On
Campu
s




Non-
Campu
s




Public
Propert
y




Student
Residenc
e




2012 201
1
201
0
2012 201
1
201
0
2012 201
1
201
0
2012 201
1
201
0
Robbery 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Burglary 10 8 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
Aggravate
d Assault
1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1
Motor
Vehicle
Theft
3 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hate
Crimes*
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
On
Campu
s




Non-
Campu
s




Public
Propert
y




Student
Residenc
e




2012 201
1
201
0
2012 201
1
201
0
2012 201
1
201
0
2012 201
1
201
0
Arrest for
Alcohol
1 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 4 0 0 0
Discipline
for
Alcohol
0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arrest for
Drugs
16 6 11 0 0 0 96 101 45 4 0 1
Discipline
for Drugs
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arrest for
Weapons
1 2 1 0 0 0 14 14 4 0 1 0