Student Anonymous Tip System Case Study
Kelsey L. Jones
Implementation of a Student Anonymous Tip System
Professional Writing in Criminal Justice
William Heath
January 26, 2013
Executive Summary The Baylor Department of Public Safety has rendered invaluable security for the Baylor University campus for countless years. Despite the campus’ location, the department’s efforts have succeeded for a convincingly safe environment for the student body as well as its employees. While the success of the Baylor Department of Public Safety goes appreciated, the increasing number of arrests concerning drug violations on campus must also be recognized. The Baylor University’s Judicial Affairs Crime Statistics report states there was 33 drug violations in the 2010-2011 school year. Drug violations were the second most prevalent form of misconduct. In addition, 45% of the disciplinary suspensions were alcohol or drug related last year. The continual growth of drug arrests and violations exhibits that the use and sale of drugs on campus is a serious problem. The department’s Zero Tolerance Team has examined a promising solution that may decrease the number of drug arrests. Ultimately, restoring an anonymous tip would be a possible solution to execute straightaway that will remain within the department’s budget.
Introduction
While looking for possible solutions in reducing drug …show more content…
crimes on campus, the cost, effectiveness, and the legality of the proposed solution are kept in mind. Based on the studies, the Zero Tolerance Team has arbitrated that the organization of an anonymous tip system campus wide would be the leading solution for the drug crime headache at the Baylor University. The appliance of anonymous tips is an instilled way to decrease crime without acquiring the boundless startup and continuation costs. Once the elements of the program have been partitioned with the campus community, the costs associated would be managing participants to gather and release the tips to the Baylor University Department of Public Safety. Acknowledging electronic communications and the campus website for dispersing the information on the tip program, the initial outreach costs would be less than $1500. Additionally, the team 's analysis detected that the apparent determent administered by the tip system would be productive and applicable. Alone, anonymous tips or reports to police are legal; it is then up to the Baylor Department of Public Safety to determine what, if any, further action can or should be taken based on a tip. From this perspective, the skills and training of the existing police department are being used effectively in conjunction with the team 's solution. Results
In this portion, we explained the results of the research concerning the cost, effectiveness, and legality of establishing a student anonymous tip system.
Cost
The setup as well as the first year operation of a student anonymous tip system is constrained by the maximum budget of $35,000.
Having reviewed a similar crime prevention initiative at Ohio State University, we found the cost of this system to be acceptable. Ohio State’s Bill Shkurti, senior vice president for business and finance, notes, “the program is worth its $38,000-a-year cost” (Bush, 2007). Considering that Ohio State has close to five times the enrollment of the Baylor University, the Zero Tolerance team found that the cost of this solution was well within the established limit (The Ohio State, 2007; Baylor University,
2007).
Effectiveness
The team considered the set-up of an anonymous tip system in light of reducing crime on campus within the first 12 months. During the first year of operation, the tip line at Ohio State University processed 129 tips that were investigated and found 19 cases of substantiated wrongdoing (Bush, 2007). Considering the considerable enthusiasm for the program and its success at Ohio State, our team concluded that the set-up of an anonymous tip program at the Baylor University would meet with similar success.
Legality
The team found it necessary to choose a solution that would be legal and would not risk action against Baylor University or its students. In the case of the anonymous tip system, we found that since the campus police would be processing and evaluating the tips as provided to them, the action or inaction on the tips would be decided based on established police procedures. Simply gathering tips and providing them to the university police has no impact on the final disposition of the tips.
Conclusions and Recommendations
After careful consideration of cost, effectiveness, and legality, the Zero-Tolerance team has found that implanting a student anonymous tip system would fight Baylor’s growing drug headache and will lower drug violations on Baylor’s campus.
Bibliography
* Baylor University ||Marketing and Communications ||News.” (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.Baylor.edu/pr/news/php?action=story&story=959 * Bush, B. (2007, August 6). Tip line a valuable deterrent, OSU says. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from http://www.dispatch.com [Joseph Babaian] * Campus watch program. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2007, from http://police.fullerton.edu/campus_watch_program.htm [Joseph Babaian] * Fisher, B.S., & Sloan, J.J. (1995). Campus crime: Legal, social, and policy perspectives. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas [Amy Lord]
Implementation of a Student Anonymous Tip System
Professional Writing in Criminal Justice
William Heath
January 26, 2013
Executive Summary The Baylor Department of Public Safety has rendered invaluable security for the Baylor University campus for countless years. Despite the campus’ location, the department’s efforts have succeeded for a convincingly safe environment for the student body as well as its employees. While the success of the Baylor Department of Public Safety goes appreciated, the increasing number of arrests concerning drug violations on campus must also be recognized. The Baylor University’s Judicial Affairs Crime Statistics report states there was 33 drug violations in the 2010-2011 school year. Drug violations were the second most prevalent form of misconduct. In addition, 45% of the disciplinary suspensions were alcohol or drug related last year. The continual growth of drug arrests and violations exhibits that the use and sale of drugs on campus is a serious problem. The department’s Zero Tolerance Team has examined a promising solution that may decrease the number of drug arrests. Ultimately, restoring an anonymous tip would be a possible solution to execute straightaway that will remain within the department’s budget.
Introduction
While looking for possible solutions in reducing drug …show more content…
crimes on campus, the cost, effectiveness, and the legality of the proposed solution are kept in mind. Based on the studies, the Zero Tolerance Team has arbitrated that the organization of an anonymous tip system campus wide would be the leading solution for the drug crime headache at the Baylor University. The appliance of anonymous tips is an instilled way to decrease crime without acquiring the boundless startup and continuation costs. Once the elements of the program have been partitioned with the campus community, the costs associated would be managing participants to gather and release the tips to the Baylor University Department of Public Safety. Acknowledging electronic communications and the campus website for dispersing the information on the tip program, the initial outreach costs would be less than $1500. Additionally, the team 's analysis detected that the apparent determent administered by the tip system would be productive and applicable. Alone, anonymous tips or reports to police are legal; it is then up to the Baylor Department of Public Safety to determine what, if any, further action can or should be taken based on a tip. From this perspective, the skills and training of the existing police department are being used effectively in conjunction with the team 's solution. Results
In this portion, we explained the results of the research concerning the cost, effectiveness, and legality of establishing a student anonymous tip system.
Cost
The setup as well as the first year operation of a student anonymous tip system is constrained by the maximum budget of $35,000.
Having reviewed a similar crime prevention initiative at Ohio State University, we found the cost of this system to be acceptable. Ohio State’s Bill Shkurti, senior vice president for business and finance, notes, “the program is worth its $38,000-a-year cost” (Bush, 2007). Considering that Ohio State has close to five times the enrollment of the Baylor University, the Zero Tolerance team found that the cost of this solution was well within the established limit (The Ohio State, 2007; Baylor University,
2007).
Effectiveness
The team considered the set-up of an anonymous tip system in light of reducing crime on campus within the first 12 months. During the first year of operation, the tip line at Ohio State University processed 129 tips that were investigated and found 19 cases of substantiated wrongdoing (Bush, 2007). Considering the considerable enthusiasm for the program and its success at Ohio State, our team concluded that the set-up of an anonymous tip program at the Baylor University would meet with similar success.
Legality
The team found it necessary to choose a solution that would be legal and would not risk action against Baylor University or its students. In the case of the anonymous tip system, we found that since the campus police would be processing and evaluating the tips as provided to them, the action or inaction on the tips would be decided based on established police procedures. Simply gathering tips and providing them to the university police has no impact on the final disposition of the tips.
Conclusions and Recommendations
After careful consideration of cost, effectiveness, and legality, the Zero-Tolerance team has found that implanting a student anonymous tip system would fight Baylor’s growing drug headache and will lower drug violations on Baylor’s campus.
Bibliography
* Baylor University ||Marketing and Communications ||News.” (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.Baylor.edu/pr/news/php?action=story&story=959 * Bush, B. (2007, August 6). Tip line a valuable deterrent, OSU says. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from http://www.dispatch.com [Joseph Babaian] * Campus watch program. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2007, from http://police.fullerton.edu/campus_watch_program.htm [Joseph Babaian] * Fisher, B.S., & Sloan, J.J. (1995). Campus crime: Legal, social, and policy perspectives. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas [Amy Lord]