IU near top in arrests for drugs, alcohol

IU-Bloomington ranked second in drug arrests and fifth in alcohol arrests among four-year colleges for 2001 in a report in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education.\nNationwide, the Chronicle reported a 5.5 percent increase in college drug arrests and a 4.7 percent increase in alcohol arrests.\nAt IU, officials said new law enforcement strategies and the relative size of IU's on-campus population are explanations for IU's ranking as a national leader in campus arrests.\nBecause of size differences in the campuses the Chronicle surveys, Dean of Students Richard McKaig said a per-student ratio of arrests might be more useful.\n"The fact of the matter is that large universities with large resident populations are always going to lead the list in these categories," McKaig said.\nAnother factor that led to IU's high arrest rates in 2001 was a new law enforcement strategy, McKaig said. To support the Bloomington Police Department, the IU Police Department began patrolling house parties near campus. Since those citations are made by the IUPD, they count as campus arrests instead of city arrests.\nPolice also have been issuing more citations instead of actual arrests. Since writing a citation takes about as long as writing a parking ticket, more violators can be processed.\nIUPD Lt. Jerry Minger said the increase in drug arrests is because more students and campus officials are health conscious and don't tolerate smoke in their residence halls. Reports of smoke coming from a dorm room account for more than 90 percent of IUPD's drug arrests.\nBut the Chronicle report doesn't mean more students are drinking and using drugs, Minger said.\nHe said drugs were far more prevalent on campus in the early 1970s, and alcohol use was more flagrant in the 1980s, especially during Little 500 weekends.\nThe times have changed, Minger said. Stepped-up education and enforcement efforts are supported by federal and state governments and University officials at every level.\n"Everyone has the same message they've been trying to tell the general population," Minger said.\nAt IU and across the country, arrest numbers continue to rise, and Minger said that's more encouraging than the other way around.\n"I would be more concerned as a parent if the numbers were low," he said.