By Caitlin Walsh, News Staff
For the Northeastern University campus and surrounding community, the crime statistics for 2013 are in. The areas stretching around Agassiz Road, Symphony Road, Westland Avenue, Saint Stephens Street, around Wentworth’s Sweeney Field and down around Columbus Avenue were considered in the reports provided to the Huntington News by the Boston Police Department.
None of the 40 homicides in Boston for 2013 were in the area and only two rape or attempted rapes were reported for the area.
Higher numbers were reported in other crime areas, however. A total of 163 larcenies — robberies of personal property — were reported aside from the 22 reported robberies and 19 burglaries. Notably, 70 “other assaults” were reported, separate from the reported numbers of rapes, attempted rapes and aggravated assaults — which only came to 13 reported cases.
For vehicle thefts, a total of 16 were reported for the areas around campus, as well as only 28 reported vandalisms. There were no reports of prostitution in the area, and only eight reports involving drugs.
Brianna Sedor, a freshman communications major, never really questioned her safety coming to Northeastern. When she was considering between Drexel University, Loyola University, Rollins College and Villanova University, the safety of the area she was in wasn’t a huge factor for her — though it was something she thought about more towards the end of her process, she said.
“As I narrowed my decisions, safety definitely came into play,” Sedor said. “I started to think about whether I would walk around late at night in the area.”
Coming from just outside Philadelphia, however, she felt safe coming to Boston — and after some time spent here, she still does.
“Coming from Philadelphia and having been to many cities in the US and other countries, I feel that Boston is one of the safest cities I’ve been to,” she said. “Obviously all cities can get creepy, but Boston is much better than the rest, at least for me.”
However, Sedor did note that now that she is on campus and receives email updates about stabbings and shootings, more specifically the recent ones near Parker and Tremont streets, she does get a little uneasy — but knows that an escort system is available to all students. She said she recognizes that campus itself is mostly safe, and knows to stay alert when venturing around the city.
Overall, the statistics were low compared to the reported crime numbers from the entire city in 2013. According to a Boston Globe article from Dec. 31, 2013, there were 40 homicides in the city throughout the year, down 18 from the year before — none of which were in the Northeastern area.
