Princeton UniversityHealth & Safety Summary

Written by Kristen McCarthy

Kristen McCarthy

Hometown

Mahwah, N.J.

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Princeton has 24-hour campus security. Whether they're breaking up a noisy room party or assisting in medical emergencies, safety officers always pose a strong presence. Because of Princeton's size, most students feel safe enough to walk across campus alone in the middle of the night to the 24-hour WaWa convenience store for a cup of coffee or wrap sandwich after everything else is closed. The most common crime seems to be theft of unattended items, namely laptop computers, bicycles, and jackets. Recently, however, there has been more attention placed on campus sexual violence in the form of date rape thanks to an intensive Take Back the Night program initiated by the Organization for Women Leaders (OWL), a women's issues group founded by several members of Princeton's Class of 2003.

As a town, Princeton is extremely safe. The fact that students feel comfortable walking home from the library rather than constantly worry about how to get from place to place means that students really have time to concentrate on their studies. Some may even lament that the constant presence of Public Safety officers makes it difficult to have too much fun on campus, but the University has made personal safety a top priority, particularly through the installation of a personal I.D. system for getting into dormitories and other major University Buildings.