University’s Annual Safety Report Shows Uptick in Alcohol, Drug Violations

Image Courtesy of Patrick D. Lewis

By Patrick D. Lewis

The Catholic University of America’s (CUA) Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management has released the university’s 2024 Annual Security Report, which provides statistics on crimes on and near campus for calendar year 2023 as well as other safety and security information. The statistics cited in the report indicate a significant increase in alcohol and drug violations on campus and a general increase in crimes near campus when compared to recent years.

The federal Jeanne Clery Act of 1990 requires universities to publish annual safety and security reports. The reports also include information on fire safety; CUA’s 2024 report says no fires occurred in residence halls in 2023. The report also says that no crimes were reported at their Alexandria, Virginia, and Tucson, Arizona campuses in 2023 and that none of the main campus crimes are being treated as hate crimes.

According to the report,  248 violations of the university’s liquor policy and 36 violations of drug policy were reported on campus in 2023, all of them in residence halls. All of these incidents were “referred for disciplinary action,” which means they were handled by University administrators rather than by police. No arrests were made for alcohol or drug violations. 

The 248 liquor violations represent a 92.2% increase from 2022, which saw 129 violations. According to the report, 2021 saw only 73 violations. According to previous years’ security reports, 2023 had more liquor violations than any year since 2017. 

The 36 drug violations represent a 260% increase compared to 2022, which had only 10 violations, and are the most in a year since 2019. However, they are significantly lower than pre-pandemic years’ statistics, which sometimes topped 100 violations. 

The report also reflects the citywide increase in violent crime in 2023. It includes the on-campus killing of Maxwell Emerson in 2023, as well as 17 violent crimes and 27 total crimes on sidewalks and streets immediately adjacent to campus. Additionally, multiple crimes on university-owned property not on the main campus, such as the now-closed Barnes and Noble bookstore on Monroe Street.

The report does not say what types of drugs were involved in the violations nor why criminal charges were not filed in any of the cases.