Curbing Campus Crime
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1466 WESSEX SCENE 26/2/02 11:08 am Page 1 wessexscene.co.uk 23rd January 2002 - ISSUE 753 - PRICELESS CURBING CAMPUS CRIME CAMPUSUNIVERSITY REPORTS CAMPUS CRIME CRIME TO LOCAL ESTATES TO IMPROVE UCAS PERCEPTIONS In an email leaked exclusively to CAPERSTHE UNIQUE REVOLUTIONARY NEW the WESSEX SCENE it has been revealed that the University has “The security codes on the been reporting crimes in other doors in my block have only districts of Southampton to avoid been changed once since we a reputation of crime that could arrived - because some- one’s boyfriend got result in a lowering of addmis- in..” sions. So says Reports centred around incidents on Amanda “OPEN DOOR” or around university property (names adjoining Burgess Road. These have been changed) , reports were apparently filed as a first-year HALLS’ SECURITY POLICY occuring in the infamous Flowers student in “A joke”? Indeed, the security Estate. This means that at a cursory Connaught halls of Residence. “presence” at Glen Eyre Halls is a which this incident occurred has glance the University appears safer The unreliability of, or Around the same period, a warden joke amongst all the students stay- been the subject of security concern than it currently is. unchanged codes on some of the allegedly informed students at the ing there. The common perception buildings in Southampton’s halls since Day 1 of the first semester halls that their had been problems of the security guards is as “Old, ELECTIONS is a disturbingly common com- this year. Since then, it’s been no with “random people sleeping in overweight and unable to give chase PAGE plaint amongst freshers this year. secret that the main door can be one of the kitchens”. to anyone”. One student describes forced open discreetly and with no Of course this system is not in place them as “good at getting shirty if in all of the halls, as Romero Halls One student from Montefiore says you try and take someone else’s real effort or noise. 10 and some buildings at Montefiore that “the buildings with access post, but that’s about it”. halls have electromagnetic locks codes haven’t had theirs changed The building has 3 entry points, all This is no personal attack on the which are deactivated with a keyfob since October”, whilst access codes security guards themselves, all of with access codes, which have been - but this system leads to its own in Stoneham (much like some at whom are good people just doing changed regularly since the stu- problems. Connaught) were only changed after an incident - this time involv- their jobs. However, when one sees dents’ arrival. One of those doors, During a fire alarm, the magnetic ing a fire extinguisher. that the security guards are, with however, has only recently had a locks are automatically switched one or two exceptions, the wrong keypad removed which since A duty warden from a halls of resi- off so that everyone can get out of side of 50 and spend a lot of time dence near Highfield concurs: “The November last year was accepting the building quickly and easily. The smoking outside the building’s security here is a joke, not just in the access code “00000”... locks are then switched back on doorways, it’s not difficult to our halls but everywhere,” He con- Security is something which after the alarm is dealt with- how- assume that they are not the best of tinued that, at a meeting he and a ever, after a fire alarm on the first of deterrents. Business Services staff and stu- colleague had raised the subject February this year, students in dents alike need to discuss in order after finding a female student being Ia recent incident, a security guard Romero apparently found that their to find a solution to these growing taunted by youths on the grounds of in one of the Glen Eyre buildings “secure” doors remained switched the halls, only to find at the next found a student’s key. They, no problems - this will not be solved, off for almost 36 hours - that’s meeting that their pleas had been doubt with the best of intentions, however, if even the wardens’ con- almost an entire weekend without And you will know us by completely ignored: “They hadn’t then let themselves into the stu- cerns are being ignored. any form of security on the build- done anything about it”. dent’s room, where the student’s sis- the trail of dead.... ing’s doors! ter was asleep. The same building in ROB BARBOUR 1466 WESSEX SCENE 26/2/02 11:08 am Page 2 PAGE 2 Wessexscene.co.uk Wessexscene.co.uk PAGE 3 INSIDE YOUR THIS ISSUE PAGE FETISH FOR FASHION FollowingCAMPUS several incidents of place there isn’t much that can SECURITYbe time chasing kids out of the build- Safety always overrides security.” thefts from University buildings, done, although the groups do tend ing, you don’t really feel safe - even As for the students themselves, the Dear Beryl, the issue of on-campus security go, when asked, without further with 40 people there - and you can’t overwhelming majority don’t 7 raises its head again this month, problems. leave anything in the foyer, one of appear to realise there is a problem. especially with regard to the our cast had their bike stolen during It is only those who have been in problem of intruders to Union The situation seems to be similar a rehearsal last term.” direct contact with the gangs, or buildings. when the gangs decide to enter the have friends who have been affect- Union building itself. “They don’t “We’ve started going out en masse ed. BEER WATCH Students have become used to see- come here with any real intent. It’s when we hear or see them in the WITH JOEL STOBART ing gangs of teenagers, and often- boredom, they come down from the foyer, and someone will have their This needs to be addressed, aware- younger children, hanging around Flowers Estate, there’s no-where mobile, to (threaten to) call security. ness needs to be raised whether you Highfield Campus, whether it be there for them to go, so they see the This seems to work, be we should- use the Union or not, we all have to around the Union, faculty and University as a kind of playground, n’t be forced into the situation. It’s know there is a problem, even if Mr departmental buildings or the it’s something for them to do. We about time something was done, Spence says it is not a major one. Durham Burgess Road area. This year how- find them, ask them to leave, and people are aware of what’s going ever, has seen increased confidence they do - they know they’re in the on.” The main message from Mr Spence, in these gangs as they have started wrong.” which has been repeated by Stephen to actually enter buildings with Trevor Spence, SUSU Building’s Edwards, is to be vigilant at all Wales London greater frequency. “A new security company has been Manager believes that intrusion is times: “Don’t leave your belong- employed on site for the past 2 - 3 not such a major problem in the ings unattended, lock offices, and if During local school’s half-term weeks, and we haven’t seen any- Union as it is in other areas, “the you see anyone suspicious either Soton Union President Stephen Edwards thing of the kids, the dog patrols porters do a very good job keeping ask for their ID card, or report them and Union porter Buddha had to seem to have done the trick, a suc- them out.” Obviously the cost of to the Union porters.” AROUND THE WORLD chase a group out of the Union, fol- cessful move which should’ve been having porters or security guards Amsterdam£1.00 Los Angles £1.70 Athens £1.20 Madrtid £1.50 lowing sightings of them in the made sooner.” permanently sited at every It appears that the Union and Barbados £1.10 Majorca £1.60 West Building, and eventually University building would be too University have now taken meas- Barcelona £1.30 Manus £1.00 tracking them down to the Coffee Intrusions are not just a problem at great to put into action. ures to improve campus security, we Budapest £0.80 Miami £1.40 Bar kitchen where they go and the Union, other University sites will have to wait and see if the situ- Calcutta £0.80 Moscow £0.90 “give grief” to the staff. have been targeted too. One of In contrast to Buddha, Mr Spence ation improves. In the meantime, Dhaka £0.90 New York £2.00 Frisco £2.50 Oslo £4.00 these sites is Arts Lecture Theatres thinks the teenagers are “oppor- however, all students and staff need Geneva £2.70 Paris £2.00 As Buddha explained: “The kids H & J (next to the Nuffield Theatre) tunistic thieves - if they saw a hand- to be aware of the problem and Hong Kong£4.00 Prague £0.60 come and hang around in the which are used most weeknights by bag unattended, they’d take it.” ensure greater vigilance at all times. Jo’berg £1.45 Rio £1.45 evening out-side the main entrance, some of the University’s performing Kabul £2.00* Sarajevo £1.00 on their bikes and skate-boards, arts societies. “We do what we can to improve By Anna Mansell Lagos £0.55 Sydney £1.40 Lisbon £1.50 Tenerife £1.10 sometimes hassling students as they security on campus and in the queue to get in.” When this hap- Showstoppers’ President, Kate John Union, but due to Health and London £1.95 *Where available pens the porters ask them to move tells us: “It’s a pain.