Completing assignments, meeting deadlines and partying are supposed to be the major concerns of most university students. But for many attending some of Jamaica's tertiary institutions, issues of security and safety have taken centre stage.

An increase in violent crimes throughout the country has been reflected in the incidence of violent acts, including muggings, sexual assaults and even shootings, being committed on and off the campuses of tertiary institutions.

The situation was dramatised with the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old University of Technology (UTech) student a week ago as she made her way home from a fête on the university's campus, as well as the recent shoot-out involving warring gangs on the campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.

These incidents have signalled the fragile state of students' safety, and have sent the security forces and university administrators urgently in search of answers.

Joseph Pereira, deputy principal of UWI, Mona, says on-campus crime has evolved into a much larger problem than the university community is equipped to deal with and, therefore, he is calling for more police assistance.

The university community, which includes the UWI, UTech and the United Theological College (UTC), has serious concerns about the safety of students when they must venture off campus, particularly as they make their way along Golding Avenue - a stretch of road which leads from Papine Square, past the gate of the University Hospital of the West Indies and down to Elletson Flats, just below UTC.

Better known to students as the 'Gaza Strip', the area has been pinpointed by police for years as a trouble spot. The poorly lit sidewalks, long stretch of fencing and the general location of the area makes it an ideal hideout for criminals, who lurk in bushes waiting for unsuspecting people, often students.

Students regularly mugged

Corporal Zanzie Jones of the Papine police says students are regularly mugged at that location. "It's a very dangerous spot, especially for girls, because the criminals target them the most," he states.

"We often caution students not to walk that stretch during the nights, or ask that they walk in large groups when they must," he adds. Jones says students are often targeted for their laptop computers and other valuables.

The area through the Papine Market, according to the cop, is also a dangerous spot. "If they walk through the Papine Market, it is almost always a sure thing that they are going to get robbed," he warns.

The police and university officials say they have taken numerous steps to increase the safety of Golding Avenue. According to the Papine police, they have increased nightly patrols along the stretch.

But UWI officials say it takes more than a few patrols to correct the problem. "We would appreciate some intervention on a more sophisticated level, meaning using technology for surveillance for a start, and some rapid response from the police," suggests Pereira.

The UWI deputy principal has proposed the installation of CCTV cameras by the police in sections that are regarded as a high-security risk. "It is literally worrying because it is outside of our control, meaning neither UTech nor UWI can really handle this," he notes.

University in mourning

For UTech, the problem has become even more grave. Diondra Morris' death a week ago has sent the entire university community into mourning and has left numerous students in fear.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, officials at UTech say they are pursuing a possible collaborative initiative involving the UWI, UTC, the business community, residents and the police.