Brigham Young University released its annual safety report for 2024, which documents crimes from burglary to murder, and compares the data from previous years.
The report covers BYU’s Provo campus, its Salt Lake Center and the Barlow Center in Washington, D.C.
Crime at BYU is down from previous years in most areas. Motor Vehicle theft is down from eight in 2022 to six in 2024. Aggravated assault is down from one in 2023 to zero in 2024.
In other areas, however, the rate has gone up. Burglary has increased from one in 2023 to eight in 2024, and arson is up from zero in 2023 to one in 2024.
In 2024, there was one arrest on campus linked to carrying or possession of a weapon. There was also one arrest linked with drug abuse, and no arrests linked with liquor law violations.
BYU, which is known for its Honor Code and strict standards regarding drug and alcohol use, makes for a place where students with similar beliefs and standards come together. Susana Torres, a student, said she thinks those numbers make for a safer campus.
“I am not surprised by these numbers; they are very low, which I appreciate," Torres said. "I feel that these numbers make me comfortable on campus, as there is a united moral compass that all students have to guard safety and follow rules."
There were no cases of hate crime on campus in 2024, down from 2023, when there were two hate crimes, both linked to sexual orientation. Laurelle Anderson, a BYU student, believes that students deserve to feel safe, especially in a place such as BYU.
“I think inclusivity is important because people deserve to feel safe, specifically at a place that claims to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, who says that we should love people even if they're different from us," Anderson said. "BYU should be good at inclusivity, and it hasn't historically been and is still working on it today."
The mission statement for the university’s Risk Management and Safety office says: “We serve to prevent harm, protect life, and preserve sacred resources by identifying, analyzing, and managing the university's uncertainties."
The report is available to the public and can be viewed at BYU’s Integrity and Compliance website.