Crime report: Arrest data from January 2021 to November 2022 at SDSU

Public intoxication leads with most frequent arrest

by Daesha Gear, Assistant Editor • May 8, 2023

The Daily Aztec has received the arrest logs at San Diego State University provided by the campus police. This data report is published to inform individuals of past criminal activity on campus.

Below are the arrest logs reported from January 2021 to November 2022:

Arrests

The highest reported arrests from January 2021 to November 2022 surround being drunk in public, with 85 arrests made.

The second leading crime arrest at the university is driving under the influence, with 74 arrests.

Being under the influence — whether it is alcohol or drugs — is a common charge at the university, standing at 192 arrests.

These arrests include: being under the influence of a controlled substance (12), underage DUI (2), underage alcohol possession (3), DUI drugs and alcohol combined (7) and DUI with only drugs (9).

SDSU’s Alcohol and Drug Laws and Campus Policy condemns the unlawful possession and distribution of drugs and alcohol. Students who violate these conditions on university property or through extracurricular activities hosted by SDSU are subjected to consequences.

“Any university student may be expelled, suspended or placed on probation for violating university regulations regarding alcohol or drugs,” SDSU wrote regarding its drug and alcohol policy on its website. “Additionally, using alcohol or drugs negatively affects (students) academic performance.”

The third common crime is driving without a license, standing at 71 arrests.

Two of the three most frequent arrests at the university surround dangerous driving, in total with 145 arrests combined. In addition to DUI arrests involving drugs, alcohol or other factors, the number of arrests relating to unsafe driving increases.

Demographics

The majority of 2021-2022 arrests were individuals born in the ‘90s (221), ranging from 24-33 year-olds.

The age group arrested the least were individuals born in the ‘50s (15), ranging from 64-73 year-olds.

Arrests made at SDSU distinguished by race include:

White (237), Hispanic (200), African American (195), Other (18), Asian (10) and Native American (2).

SDSU is a Hispanic-serving institution consisting of 11,809 identifying Hispanic and Latino students enrolled at the university for the fall 2022 semester, according to SDSU’s Analytic Studies and Institutional Research at the San Diego campus.

Data enrollment — including undergraduate and graduates — for the fall 2022 semester provided by SDSU’s Analytic Studies and Institutional Research at the San Diego campus includes:

White: 12,397 (34.7%)

Hispanic, Latino: 11,809 (33.1%)

Asian: 2,824 (7.9%)

African American: 1,438 (4%)

Native American: 79 (0.2%)

Arrests distinguished by gender include:

Men (556), Women (115) and (2) identifying as transgender.

According to Univstats, a college statistics website, reports that SDSU’s 2022 gender distribution consists of “42.07% male (15,350 students) and 57.93% female (21,134 students).” This 2022 report, however, does not include other genders outside of male and female.

Location

According to the log provided by university police regarding arrests from January 2021 to November 2022, the areas with the most reports of apprehensions include:

5975 Aztec Circle Drive, with 63 arrests. Common charges reported in that area were theft, robbery and resisting arrest.

6075 Aztec Circle Drive, with 32 arrests. Charges reported in that area were being drunk in public, trespassing, being under the influence of a controlled substance, robbery and vandalism.

5260 Campanile Drive, with 26 arrests. Charges reported in that area were possession of drug paraphernalia, battery and being drunk in public.

5355 College Ave., with 20 arrests. Charges reported in that area were being drunk in public, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

5140 College Ave., with 19 arrests. Charges reported in that area were being drunk in public, brandishing a weapon and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

A common trend of arrests found in these five areas involves public intoxication, whether it is under alcohol or drugs.

The university has an SDSU Safe App, in which individuals can report any suspicious activity. University police can also be reached at (619) 594-1991 or police@sdsu.edu regarding safety concerns.

For those experiencing an urgent emergency, please call 911.

About the Contributors

Daesha Gear, '23-24 Editor in Chief

Daesha Gear is a senior transfer from Riverside City College. Before becoming involved at The Daily Aztec in the 2022 fall semester, Gear was involved in her publication at RCC called Viewpoints, serving as the Opinion and Assistant News Editor. At her community college, the Journalism Association of Community Colleges awarded her an honorable mention for covering a feature story on LGBTQ+ students at RCC. Heading into her final year as a Journalism-Media Studies major, Gear serves as The Daily Aztec’s 2023-2024 Editor-in-Chief, making her the first Black woman to hold this title in the publication’s history. Outside of her role at The Daily Aztec, Gear has freelanced for The Raincross Gazette, a publication in Riverside, and interned with NBC 7 San Diego as a Digital Intern. Daesha has also appeared in a story for the San Diego Union-Tribune and in SDSU’s JMS podcast called “Where Ya At?” In her final year, Gear hopes to continue broadening her expertise in technology and its impact on the ever-changing landscape of journalism. But if she’s not writing or handling matters related to the publication, Gear is probably watching basketball, horror films or exploring new cities.

Petrina Tran, Photographer

Petrina Tran is a senior staff member majoring in Journalism and Media Studies with a minor in Linguistics. She was born in San Jose, CA, but grew up in Dubai, UAE for 12 years before returning to the United States for university. Petrina has a passion for storytelling through photography, connecting with people, and being in the community. She currently serves as Social Media Outreach officer for the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), writes, and photographs for The Daily Aztec. She has done numerous works covering the fires in Lahaina, Maui, the Kumeyaay Land Acknowledgement and native communities of San Diego, and local cultural events, just to name a few. Outside of The Daily Aztec, Petrina enjoys flying, baking, music, reading, and experiencing different languages and cultures. She is excited to learn, grow, and be challenged while serving both the school and the greater San Diego community.