“I do not feel safe living off campus, period.”: Addressing Safety Concerns Beyond Campus Borders

Reflecting on her experience of everyday living downtown, a Yale student residing off campus, who wished to remain anonymous, shared, “I do not feel safe living off campus, period. I live in front of the Green and every day when I head to campus, I feel I have to be on high alert.”


Shailen Sharma
Managing Editor, The Beacon

In the heart of downtown, where the city lights paint a vivid mosaic upon the towering buildings, a youthful vigor fills the city with life every Thursday night, carrying through the weekend’s final hours. Amidst the pulsating rhythmic beats resonating from the bustling bars and the echoes of late-night laughter lies a dark undercurrent that courses through the city, shaped by incidents of theft, violence, and a feeling of unease experienced by students who live and venture into the downtown streets. 
 
Reflecting on her experience of everyday living downtown, a Yale student residing off campus who wished to remain anonymous, shared, “I do not feel safe living off campus, period. I live in front of the Green and every day when I head to campus, I feel I have to be on high alert.” 
 
Her concerns echo a common sentiment shared among students. When asked whether she avoided the Green, Sydney Scheller, a Yale student, shared “When I first came to Yale, I asked about five different people, ‘What are the places that you should not go alone, or you should not go at night?’ Every single one of them said, ‘Do not go in the New Haven Green at night.’” 
 
The Green seems to emanate an unsettling presence that extends beyond its borders. Since 2020, New Haven has seen a surge in violence. Last year, 23 people were murdered, marking an increase from 2022. Additionally, 273 confirmed gunshots were fired in the city, significantly elevated from the 98 shots fired in 2018, but still down from the recent peak of 337 in 2021. Robberies and burglaries saw a surge, with a 21.6% increase in robberies and a 17.8% increase in burglaries reported in 2023 (City of New Haven CompStat Report, Week Ending December 17, 2023). 
 
These clear dangers have also been accompanied by a troubling stigmatization. During the freshmen orientation for the class of 2026, a student’s inquiry about avoiding “shady” streets in New Haven, was met with a dismissive response, “No, that’s not something you should worry about. New Haven is a safe city, and it does a disservice to anyone living on that street to call it ‘shady’.” 
 
Manu Anpalagan, an on-campus student, shared his thoughts: “When you go a little bit away from the residential college areas, away from where all the main buildings are for the classes, I do feel a heightened sense of risk.” He further emphasized, “I feel more vulnerable because of the reduced police presence” in those areas. 
 
When discussing the role Yale administration should play in promoting safety, the same off-campus student who wished to remain anonymous emphasized, “I believe that the college and Yale Police need to increase their measures of safety around areas where illicit activity takes place to curb inappropriate behavior.”Her concerns primarily revolve around safety issues near the Green, where “the lack of police presence allows this behavior to continue unaddressed, which only enables more people to feel at ease to participate.” 
 
When questioned about Yale Police’s approach to addressing safety concerns for students and faculty residing off campus or navigating higher crime areas, Chief Campbell expressed in a letter, “For students living off-campus, we encourage them to participate in community management meetings and meet with their district managers from the New Haven Police Department.” While the recommendation offers a potential avenue for engagement, particularly for off-campus students, it doesn’t fully address the need for implementing safety measures in areas of concern, as highlighted by students. 
 
Chief Campbell outlined resources offered by Yale Police, underscoring, “Tools such as the LiveSafe app, walking escorts, and shuttle services are provided to enhance personal safety awareness and accessibility.” Notably, these resources are available to off-campus students. He also assured, “We continuously seek feedback from the Yale community to improve our services via email and anonymous reporting on the LiveSafe app.” 
 
When asked about familiarity with these resources, Libby Snowden, an off-campus student, said that she has never used these resources and emphasized, “I don’t remember being told how to use them—not that those aren’t resources someone can’t figure out on their own, but if Yale wants to prioritize safety, I think adding five minutes to the safety programming during orientation to teach students how to use those resources would go a long way.” Scheller expressed a positive attitude toward the current safety strategy, highlighting the presence of blue emergency phones around campus, stating, “I think they’re doing a pretty good job. The police presence on campus is very assuring, which I quite like.” 
 
For students who live downtown or venture further from campus, concerns about vulnerability are indeed heightened as Yale Police resources may not be covering those areas adequately. While Yale Police offers useful tools like the LiveSafe app, walking escorts, shuttle services, and blue emergency phones, not all students seem to fully grasp their availability and usage. A clearer understanding of these resources could greatly improve student safety and feedback. Additionally, increasing patrols in areas frequented by students farther from campus could help alleviate safety concerns in those locations. 
 
Fostering a strong partnership between students and law enforcement, coupled with proactive measures to extend safety resources can pave a path for a safer campus community. Yet, this broader vision cannot be achieved unless students are supported and their legitimate concerns about personal safety acknowledged, rather than stigmatized.

 

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