The Chronicle: Colloquy: The question

THE QUESTION

A survey released in the new issue of The Chronicle reveals that arrests for violations of alcohol laws increased 24.3 percent in 1998, while drug arrests rose 11.1 percent; weapons arrests, 0.5 percent; and reports of forcible sex offenses, 11.3 percent. College officials cite various reasons for the increases. Some say that a change in federal reporting requirements may have led to the statistics' including more criminal acts that take place adjacent to, but not on, campuses. Others, however, say that significant changes on campuses are responsible for the increases. Some cite increased enforcement efforts. Others see increased substance abuse, as well as some signs of new trends in substance abuse, such as an increase in students' mixing prescription drugs with either alcohol or illegal drugs. Why are colleges reporting sharp increases in the number of arrests for violations of alcohol and drug laws? Are the increases largely a result of tougher enforcement, more illegal activity on campus, or changes in federal law? Is the use of illegal drugs on the rise?

For further information, see this survey and background articles:

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