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Where UF and Santa Fe College Stand In This 2018 Report on National Campus Safety Rankings

New startling numbers are out about the University of Florida with a list that tracks college safety based on FBI crime reporting.

UF ranks in the middle of the road at 150 out of 243 colleges and universities nationwide on the National Council for Home Safety and Security's list.

The only Florida universities to break the top 100 safest campuses were Florida Atlantic University and the University of South Florida. Sante Fe College ranks at 131.

And Florida State? 232.

University of Florida student Marina Fortun carries pepper spray around with her. She said even though she feels pretty safe on campus, she decided to buy the pepper spray after receiving multiple UF Alerts about crime.
"Just yesterday, five blocks from my apartment complex, there was a double homicide," she said, although that shooting took place about a mile from the southern edge of UF's campus.

The report based its ranking on most recent data from an FBI survey on crime and campus security. The school's safety score was calculated by analyzing crimes reported by universities, including robberies, assaults, and others. Theft is the most common crime at UF.

But it is a crime that is preventable according to UF police.

"Crime prevention is a shared responsibility," UPD spokesman Brad Barber said, "so we also ask the members of our community to keep that in mind: To take the steps to again prevent themselves from being a victim. In other words, remove the opportunity for a criminal to take advantage of somebody."

The university also utilizes blue light poles students can press during emergencies and snap vans for free night-time transportation.