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April 12, 2015

Jim Schumann
Safety and Security Staff Director
Hamline University
1536 Hewitt Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55104
Dear Jim Schumann:
On March 13, 2015 we requested permission from you to conduct research on the
feasibility of enhancing the security of locker rooms on Hamline Universitys campus.
After you approved our request, we performed the required research for this assignment.
Enclosed, you will find the results of our study for your review.
We pursued this specific proposal because we have first-hand experience of the problem
of unsafe locker rooms. We both had valuable things stolen this year, and are aware of
other robberies that have occurred in Hamline locker rooms. Our research began by
surveying 36 Hamline students, and contacting the Safety & Security Department for
campus statistics. Also, we conducted research using scholarly journals and the Hamline
database. Our survey provided evidence that Hamline students are not necessarily being
affected by campus locker room thefts. Although our online research and the Hamline
security department shows reports of more larceny thefts occurring over recent years, the
survey did not provide enough evidence that locker room security at Hamline is an issue.
With this information, we cannot conclude that this project of enhancing security in the
locker rooms is feasible. If we were to continue this research we would conduct our
survey with a larger sample size. Also, we would examine more thoroughly for additional
research on this topic.
We appreciate the opportunity to perform this project. We contained much information
during the process of determining the feasibility of this topic. We want to thank you for
allowing us the chance to pursue a topic that we are genuinely interested in, and we hope
that you find the results conclusive and informative.

Sincerely,

Tia Diggins and Kelly Stacken


Enclosure
Running Head: ENHANCED LOCKER ROOM SECURITY

Running head: ENHANCING SECURITY

Enhancing Locker Room Security at Hamline University:


A Feasibility Study
Tia Diggins and Kelly Stacken
Hamline University
Introduction to Professional Writing and Rhetoric
12 April 2014

Abstract

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This paper examines the feasibility of enhancing the security of the Hamline University
locker rooms. Thirty-six Hamline students, including 20 non-athletes and 16 athletes,
participated in this study by taking a survey regarding their views on the Hamline locker
rooms. Along with the survey, heavy research was conducted through scholarly articles
and databases on the topic of security and thefts on college campuses. Overall, the
research includes a survey of local students and data from scholarly articles. It was
discovered that enhancing locker room safety at Hamline University is not yet realistic.
This conclusion is due to the data obtained from the survey and the lack of official
information about specific locker room crimes and with locker room safety precautions
on college campuses in general. However, with further research and a bigger sample size
surveyed, there is a chance for better analyzing the feasibility of enhancing locker room
security at Hamline University.

Table of Contents
Abstract...
.2Introduction

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..4Research
Methods6
Criteria.6
Results..7
Figure 18
Figure 29
Figure3...10
Conclusions11
Recommendations..12
References..13

Introduction
Hamline University is the oldest college institution in Minnesota and has
approximately 2,211 undergrad students. Of those students, over 400 are student-athletes.

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Currently, there are about eight main locker rooms on Hamline Universitys campus.
There are 20 athletic teams and more than one team occupies the same locker room.
Three of the locker rooms in Walker Field House are not only for athletes, but are
available to the public as well. That being the case, locker room thefts do not only affect
Hamline athletes.
In 2012 there were approximately 8,975,438 property crime thefts that occurred
nationwide (Drysdale, D., Modzeleski, W., & Simons, A., 2010). Larceny theft is a nonviolent crime intended to rob owners' of their possessions. Of all property crimes, larceny
theft accounted for 68.5%. Burglaries are thefts that can involve violent acts. Of all
property crimes, 23.4% were burglaries (Drysdale, D., Modzeleski, W., & Simons, A.,
2010). This can conclude that larceny thefts, such as ones described of locker room theft,
is more common than burglaries.
Additionally, according to the National Incident-Based Reporting System, from
2000 to 2004 crime of all sorts increased in the 90,000 schools and colleges observed for
data. For the total of the five years, roughly 230,274 were crimes such as thefts, larceny,
and burglaries (Drysdale, D., Modzeleski, W., & Simons, A., 2010). These results show
that thefts of all sorts are common within higher education systems.
On the Hamline University database, there are crime reports listed in the crime
log. The information consists of the specific day an incident happened and lists the type
of crime as well as the location. One is allowed to click on the day in the calendar of the
crime report and view the type of incident or crime committed. For instance, on
November 25th, 2014 safety and security reported a theft with a Sub-Classification of
personal property stolen that was greater than the amount of $500 and was located in the
building of Hutton Arena. The crime log, presents valid information on thefts that occur
throughout the years.
In view of the Hamline database, there is information provided that shows the
amount of larceny thefts remain consistentif not increasingon the Hamline campus.
For example, last year in 2014 there were over 50 thefts accounted for. The year before
that in 2013, there were close to 50 thefts, and the year before that in 2012 there were
approximately a little less than 50 thefts (Hamline University, 2014).

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As a result of this data, a survey would be handy to see if any students have
experienced a locker room theft at Hamline University. Also, a survey can provide
information to determine if Hamline students are interested in enhancing locker room
security. The survey will be necessary due to the lack of detail listed in the crime log to
officially illustrate evidence that locker room thefts are an increasing concern on campus.
The survey conducted showed 16 out of the 36 students surveyed participate in a
sport at Hamline. This data demonstrates 44% of students who certainly use locker rooms
due to their sport.
The following steps will introduce the data and research compiled. More
information should be established to determine if enhancing security of Hamline locker
rooms is feasible.

Survey with a 36 participant-sample size.


Hamline database.
Four scholarly journals/articles.

There are three goals to the feasibility report: First, to discover the demand for
more security in locker rooms. Second, to verify if Hamline University can financially
support an enhanced security system. The third objective is to predict if there will be an
advantage from obtaining a more reliable security system. With these steps in mind, there
is information to gather and analyze for the hope of drawing a clear conclusion on the
issue of locker room thefts at Hamline University.

Methods
The following research was used to determine the potential of enhancing Hamline
Universitys locker room security. The research was also used to achieve a better
understanding of the reasons for the conducted research. Our research outlines the
following elements:

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We created a questionnaire through Survey Monkey to determine the support of


enhancing the security of the campus locker rooms.

We distributed 36 questionnaires to students in our Business Writing class. Our


subjects were not a true representation of the Hamlines student body. Also, our
surveys were not distributed to non-students who use the locker rooms.

We analyzed the data collected from the questionnaire and created graphical
images of the statistical information.

We interviewed Safety & Security staff on the types of security systems used.
This information gave us the insight to decided on better security options.

We discovered statistical information on the Hamline security database that


educated us on the increasing thefts in the campus locker rooms.

We located articles on Google by searching key words such as thefts, security


systems, and locker rooms. These articles explain the importance of security, and
the value of having different types in one area.

Results
Initially, the research found through the Hamline database provided quality
information on thefts occurring at Hamline University. Articles from Google scholar and
the Hamline library catalog illustrated more data about thefts on college campuses. This
data assists in determining if it is feasible to enhance locker room security.
Security Systems

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Though there is much emphasis on data about thefts and the statistical likelihood
of crimes, there is also significant research on the enhancement of security. There are
benefits to improving security systems, many of which are both psychologically and
economically better for people (Schneier, 2008). Security is a measured reality because
with a given statistic one can calculate the probability of crime (Schneier, 2008). One
would think that University campuses would have low crime rates in locker rooms
because they are secured places. However, the Hamline crime log shows otherwise.
It is common sense that if something is in a secured place, the odds of it getting
stolen are minimal. Based off of the monthly updates on the Hamline website from Safety
and Security, there have been up to 33 thefts this year in the buildings where athletics
take place, and where locker rooms are located. This shows that thefts in and near locker
rooms is a growing issue on the Hamline campus.
Psychological Effects
Even more, security is not only a reality, but it is a feeling (Schneier, 2008). In
other words, theft has a great impact on the psychological being. If one believes his/her
valuables are securely stored, but then finds the valuables stolen, the experience can have
a negative psychological effect (Schneier, 2008). Therefore, it is plausible to enhance
security because of the negative psychological effects that can occur.

Thirty-six student-athletes and non-athletes were asked about their concerns and
potential demand for better-secured locker rooms. In this graphic, it shows how likely
students would use locker rooms if security were to be enhanced. Out of the 36 students,
16 were athletes and 20 were non-athletes. Seventeen students said they would be more
likely to use the locker rooms if the security were enhanced while 19 students said they
were not likely to use them. In other words, 47.22% were in favor of better-secured
locker rooms and 52.78% were not. This data demonstrates that although it is almost half-

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and-half, with more non-athletes accounted for, there is not much incentive for the
students to be in favor of an enhanced locker room security system.

1= Will use locker rooms.


2= Will not use locker rooms

Figure 1. Students willingness to use locker rooms with better security.

Additionally, the students were asked about their willingness to increase their
tuition for better security. Eleven students are willing to increase their tuition for funding
the enhancement of security in the locker rooms. Twenty-five students out if the 36 said
they were not willing to increase their tuition. Of the students surveyed, 30.56% are in
favor of increasing their tuition, while the other 69.44% are against raising their tuition
for better safety of locker rooms. When students were asked if they would increase their
tuition, the 47.22% that said they were in favor of enhancing security, decrease 16.66%.
This provides the evidence that although students of Hamline University would be in

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favor of better-secured locker rooms, less would be willing to actually increase tuition to
help make it happen.

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1= Willing to increase tuition


2= Not willing to increase tuition

Figure 2. Students willingness to increase their tuition for better-secured locker rooms.

Furthermore, students reported the types of security systems they would want to
have. Ten students reported cubbies with locks would be best, 12 said security cameras
would be best, and 14 said key card operated locks would be best. Overall, there is not
much of a difference between these three types of security as one can see in the graphic
(28% for locker cubbies, 33% for security cameras, and 39% for key card operated
locks). Hamline University already uses key card operated locks for the doors of most
locker rooms and the majority said this would be the best way of security.

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1= Security Cameras as the best safety system


2= Locker cubbies with locks as the best safety system
3= Key card operated locks as best safety system

Figure 3. Students opinions on the best sort of security system.

Although the survey shows locker room security as not a major priority for the
students, the crime log illustrates that there has been a recent increase over the past few
years in thefts on the Hamline campus. If there are changes in the security of locker
rooms, the overall crime reports at Hamline University would decrease; which makes it
inconclusive in terms of feasibility.

Conclusions
Although scholarly articles and the Hamline database demonstrate an increase in
larceny theft, the lack of confirming data and the data gathered from the questionnaire
concludes that this project is not feasible.
There was not a significant demand of enhanced security from the students
surveyed. Nineteen out of the thirty-six students said no to being more likely to use
locker rooms after the security was enhanced. Also, thirty-two of these students said they

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never had anything stolen from the locker rooms, while three said yes and only one said
more than once.
In addition, twenty-five students said they would not be willing to increase tuition
to fund for better security, while eleven said they would. With this in mind and the
criteria question regarding if Hamline can support an enhanced security system for the
locker rooms, it is concluded that it is not quite feasible yet.
Along with research conducted on the best types of security systems, when
students were asked which type they though was best, 27.78% said locker cubbies with
locks, 33.33% said security cameras, and 38.89% said key card operated locks. Hamline
already has key card operated locks connected with ones Hamline ID. Again, this helps
provide information that this topic is not yet feasible.

Recommendations
After reviewing the results of the research, it is recommended to conduct more
research from a variety of sources. For an issue such as crime that depends heavily on
statistics and probability, it is hard to conclude an assured feasibility of this enhancement
on locker room security. Also, it is advised to use a bigger sample size to obtain more
accurate data results.

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References
Drysdale, D., Modzeleski, W., & Simons, A. (2010). Campus attacks: Targeted violence
affecting institutions of higher educations. Retrieved from
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/nibrs/crime-in-schools-and-colleges
Hamline University. (2014). Reported crimes. Retrieved from
http://www.hamline.edu/SiteSearch.aspx?q=safety%20and%20security
Harbaugh, W. T., Mocan, N., & Visser, M. S. (2013). Theft and deterrence. Journal of
Labor Research. Vol. 1, 22-32.

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Schneier, B. (2008). Psychology of security. Retrieved from
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-540-68164-9_5#

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