UW RANKS HIGH IN ARRESTS FOR ALCOHOL, DRUGS

Police: Jump Is Due To New Focus

Arrest rates for drug and alcohol violations at UW-Madison skyrocketed in
2001, making the campus second among U.S. universities in alcohol arrests
and third in drug arrests.

The Chronicle of Higher Education compiled the drug and alcohol data using
statistics from the U.S. Department of Education's campus crime report for
2001, the most recent year available.

Nationwide, the number of drug arrests increased 5.5 percent, the 10th
consecutive increase. Alcohol arrests rose 4.7 percent, the Chronicle reported.

The 882 alcohol arrests at the UW-Madison campus in 2001 reflect an
increase of 31 percent over 2000 and were exceeded only by Michigan State's
898.

For the second year in a row, Pennsylvania State's main campus, with 173
drug arrests, led the nation in that category. Indiana University at
Bloomington was second with 170. UW-Madison was third with 166 drug
arrests, a 71 percent increase over 2000.

"That is pretty much a reflection of our ability to throw resources at the
problem," Capt. Dale Burke of the UW-Madison Police Department said of
UW-Madison's arrest numbers.

He added that students account for just over half the drug and alcohol
arrests. The rest involved non-students causing problems on campus property.

Burke said the department has taken a proactive approach to campus
drinking, staking out liquor stores and arresting students as they bring
alcohol on campus. He said the tactic accounts for about 100 arrests a year.

In addition, he said, drunken students tend to be more visible as the
number of students who abstain grows.

"People who are drunk tend to stick out more now," he said.

Burke added that some students routinely give officers no choice but to
make arrests, often darting in front of UW squad cars at nighttime.

"They're underage and they're drunk," he said. "It's like, 'Hello. Come
take me.' "

The increase in drug arrests is tied to an increase in marijuana use, Burke
said.

"Kids are being introduced to this in middle school, and certainly in high
school, and by the time they get to us, they're pretty well into it," he said.

Meanwhile, Burke said many students who don't use marijuana have no
tolerance for those who do, prompting increasing numbers of them to report
the smell of marijuana smoke in dorms.

"Other students aren't going to tolerate that kind of behavior when
subjected to it," he said.