Residence Hall Security example essay topic

Security in dorm halls on universities across the nation is a huge problem that each campus must address, due to the amount of people living in such close quarters. Residence hall security should be an important factor in the college decision making process. Today's college freshman arrives for the first day of his / her college career hampered with personal property of substantial value. Most students come to college equipped with an advanced computer system and can be the target of burglary. Many other items of value accompany the student. Sexual assaults are also a potential problem.

The possibility of theft and sexual assaults make residence hall and individual room security a basic prevention strategy. To ensure a safe campus, it is imperative to secure residence halls and escort all guests. Most college students do not think about the repercussions of being lazy about security in their respective residence halls. However if there is no attention paid to who comes in and out, many crimes can and usually do happen. For instance, at the University of Connecticut, a survey of 690 undergraduates found that more than half of dorm residents say they have propped open a secured door. Nine out of ten know someone else who have also done the same.

Half of those students who had witnessed these doors left partly open, knew of incidents where strangers had come into the building unescorted. Of those strangers, one in five knew of a crime that resulted because a door was not locked (z wire). One in five may seem like a low statistic, but for any kind of crime committed, it is simply a fact that we cannot ignore. When students graduate from college, most will purchase their own home or rent an apartment. They must learn NOW how to secure their belongings and protect themselves from intruders. How many people do you know would let complete strangers walk right into their own homes, no questions asked?

Students need to learn to take pride in their possessions and dwellings while they are in college to prevent future break-ins once they graduate. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is taking steps to ensure the safety of their students that the would normally neglect. For instance, during spring break, campus police walked the mostly empty halls of Hawthorn Hall and locked any door that was left unlocked. Also, security guards and residence coordinators are trained to issue citations to any student who breaches security. One student caught with a security infraction, Andrew Greer, was even made to write a two paper on why it is imperative to secure residence halls. With the addition of yet another paper, this could be a very useful deterrent that could be used on campuses across the nation.

Ultimately, residence hall security is up to the students who live there. Students must take responsibility for their own possessions and own well being. Since college is a time for learning and change, what better time to learn this lesson?