Manchester ranked worst for student crime

Shut your windows and lock your doors – Manchester has been ranked as having the highest numbers of robberies, burglaries, and violent crime outside London.

According to statistics published by the Complete University Guide Manchester has the highest levels of student-relevant crime in a city with two or more universities.

In an investigation into the levels of crime for individual institutions, The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University were among those ranked as having the highest number of reported crimes within three miles of the main campus.

The guide states that Manchester has the highest rates of robberies and burglaries, while Nottingham has the highest rates of violent crime.

The guide’s crime map shows that Fallowfield, the most popular accommodation area with students, has one of the highest crime rates outside the city centre. There were 671 reported crimes in Fallowfield and the surrounding areas last December alone, according to figures obtained from police.uk.

The Complete University Guide, which uses official police data to calculate its report, claims to provide “the clearest picture possible” of crime rates in cities outside London.

It uses figures for what it believes to be the three crimes most relevant to students; robberies; burglaries; and violent crimes, including sexual offences, given that data for crimes affecting only students is not available.

Bernard Kingston, founder of the Complete University Guide, said, “While these crimes are the three most commonly perpetrated against students, the figures relate to all victims, not just students. And they relate to the areas surrounding universities, not solely to university premises.

“While universities, especially those in high crime areas, do much to advise students on precautions, many students, particularly those from overseas attracted by formidable academic reputations, are often not aware of the risks in the areas around their chosen institutions.”

The guide estimates that around one-third of students will become victims of crime while at university, with 20 per cent of robberies occurring within six weeks after the start of the academic year.

Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester took 21^st and 22^nd place respectively in a table to find the most reported crimes, with MMU having 2.55 reported robberies, burglaries and violent crimes per thousand residents, closely followed by Manchester with 2.51.

The top nineteen places were all taken by universities in London, with King’s College having the highest correlation between crime and population, at 3.59 crimes per thousand.

Mr Kingston said that crime figures should be taken into consideration when deciding where to study, “While the quality of tuition and the prospects for employment after graduation are key elements in choosing a university course, it is important not to overlook other aspects of the environment in which the student will be living for three or more years.

“Regrettably, our university cities are not immune from the pressures on society and crime is a constant presence.”

Bristol, Nottingham and Birmingham joined Manchester among cities with the highest crime levels, while York, Canterbury and Bath were found to have the lowest. Among individual institutions, only Hull University had a higher incidence of crime than Manchester and MMU, with Aberystwyth, Durham, and Winchester having the fewest reported crimes.