Recent news about criminal activity has many in the UIC community concerned. Police recommend vigilance and cooperation in avoiding or fighting crime. (Photo by Troy T. Heinzeroth)

Is crime increasing in the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) area, or isn’t it? This issue has sparked disagreement, but everyone can agree that crimes seem more brazen and fear of crime has gone up.

UIC posts e-mail crime alerts to its faculty, staff, and students, and that’s a good thing. Such postings increase crime awareness and cause people to pay more attention to their surroundings, which police and criminologists say are the keys to avoid being a victim. That’s why Commander Dennis Keane of the 12th Police District recommends against using iPods or other electronic musical devices while walking and against using cell phones out on the street. Such distractions provide the opening criminals need to strike.

Paying attention is the average person’s greatest weapon against crime. Traveling in groups makes sense, too, but it’s not foolproof, as the recent hit and run incident that injured three students proves. Reporting all incidences or suspicions of crime is crucial, as is attending Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy meetings; local CAPS meetings are listed in the Gazette every month.

Still, citizens cannot shoulder all the responsibility. UIC should not only post crime alerts but post alerts when criminals are caught in high-profile crimes, presenting a more balanced picture and eliminating the perception that crime goes unchecked.

Alderman Robert Fioretti recently held a community meeting about the upsurge in crime, and UIC should hold more of these as well, acknowledging that the perception and fear of crime have increased and offering advice on what to do about them. UIC has expertise in its Department of Criminology, Law, and Justice and should use it to a greater extent.

The Gazette is second to none in its admiration of the work of local Chicago Police; street cops are hardworking and aggressive in this area. But bureaucratic snafus back at the office, such as not calling victims back or erasing surveillance tapes, must be curtailed because they erode confidence in the police at a time when it is more crucial than ever for police and citizens to work together.

Working together, rather than arguing over whether crime is increasing, is the key. Because even one crime is one too many.