Business Insider ranked the 25 most dangerous campuses in the United States based on crime statistics over the last three years.
Here's a note about the methodology:
We averaged FBI crime data per capita from 2008 to 2011 for schools with enrollment over 10,000. Schools were ranked based on a combination of the violent crime rank and property crime rank (weighted 4:1). Violent crimes include murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crimes include burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
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Most Dangerous Campuses - Business Insider 2012
The most dangerous colleges and the top party schools lists aren't among those that colleges are proud to get featured on. Unsurprisingly, the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University, which are both in the top 10, dispute Business Insider's method.
Local news station KRQE interviewed students who said they were shocked that the universities were featured, and UNM's communications director said the FBI actually cautions against using the crime stats to put together rankings because there are just too many variables.
Similarly, UCLA issued a press release encouraging Business Insider readers not to believe the poll.
It turns out that what Business Insider reports as "crimes on college campuses" is not that at all. The statistics used by the website use crime reports taken by University of California police based at UCLA. Problem is, UCLA police take crime reports from a wide area: the campus itself, the neighboring residential and business districts of Westwood, West Los Angeles and beyond, and from UCLA medical centers and clinics around Los Angeles County, which has a population of more than nine million people. The statistics cited by Business Insider paint a picture of a much larger urban area than just the campus.