Clery Report Reveals Zero Arrests for Drug Abuse, 140 Referrals for Liquor Law Violations in 2021

Content warning: sexual assault, drugs

There were zero arrests or referrals against drug law offenders at Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus (LSC) for 2021, according to the Clery Act Annual Security Report (ASR).

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act was enacted by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. The law stipulates colleges and universities must release information about a crime on or near the institution, according to Clery Center. 

Crimes reported off-campus aren’t recorded in the report, according to Clery Center.   

The decline in arrests and disciplinary action is linked to the legalization of marijuana which came into effect on Jan. 1, 2020 in Illinois, according to Stacey Jaksa, director of Loyola’s Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSCCR). 

“Recreational consumption, possession and sales of cannabis is legal in Illinois,” Jaksa said. “As a result, there has been a significant decrease in criminal cannabis possession in Clery-reported locations.” 

The legal age to purchase marijuana in Illinois is 21, according to the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act of 2019. 

Zero arrests were issued for liquor law violations in 2021, according to the Clery Report. Campus Safety issued 140 disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations in 2021 at LSC. The incidents occurred in “on-campus student housing facilities,” according to the report.

Jaksa declined to comment on specific incidents regarding the number of arrests and disciplinary referrals issued for liquor-related offenses. 

“Liquor offenses are referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution for disciplinary follow-up,” Jaksa said.

The report shows ten disciplinary referrals issued for liquor law violations at the Water Tower Campus WTC and zero arrests for liquor law violations at the WTC in 2021.   

A student, who requested to be identified by the pseudonym David, was surprised to find that there were ten disciplinary referrals issued for liquor law violations at the WTC and zero arrests occurring at the WTC. 

“It is a little surprising,” David said.”But just kids having drinks shouldn’t constitute an arrest.” 

When students are issued a referral for alcohol and drug-related offenses, they are obligated to participate in educational programs focused on alcohol and drug abuse, according to the OSCCR. Programs include Alcohol Edu for Sanctions and Motivational Intervention for marijuana, according to OSCCR.

An anonymous student, who requested to be identified by the pseudonym Ernie, spoke on an experience in Regis Hall during his freshmen year when he and a few friends were using alcohol and were caught by the resident assistant ( RA). 

“There were only two freshmen allowed but there was like five of us in a room, Ernie said. “And we were drinking and one of the RA’s heard us and we received a warning.” 

There were 705 alcohol-related referrals issued in 2019, according to the report. The number decreased to 34 in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then to 140 in 2021 as students returned to campus and COVID-19 health restrictions loosened, The Phoenix reported.  

LSC saw a decrease in rape from 2019 to 2021, according to the report. In 2019, there were nine reported violations of rape, five in 2020 and four in 2021, according to the report. 

Matt McDermott, associate director of external communications at Loyola, spoke on the university’s response to rape.

“Loyola University Chicago is committed to ensuring that reports of sexual misconduct are addressed consistent with federal and state laws and the university’s institutional values and educational mission,” McDermott wrote in an email. 

Tim Love, executive director for the Office for Equity and Compliance at Loyola, didn’t respond for comment about Loyola’s declining rate of sexual assault.

Correction: There was an inaccuracy in the original version of this article which stated there was alcohol present in the described situation in the common area when in fact no alcohol present. The reporter misled David in answering on the number of alcohol referrals and arrests at the Water Tower Campus not the Lake Shore Campus. We regret this error and have updated the article for clarification.