KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) --The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has released crime statistics on state-wide colleges.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville has seen a rise across the board.

Campus police say they're counting on students to focus on personal safety to bring the numbers down.
Students tell us the biggest problem on campus is car break-ins.

On a sunny afternoon, sophomores Tron Dareing and Jenna Zalewski feel safe throwing Frisbee's on UT Knoxville's campus.

Tron Dareing says, "I feel pretty safe. I haven't had any problems with robberies or seen any crime going down."

Jenna Zalewski says, "i feel pretty safe. My dad gave me a thing of mace before I became a freshman here. I keep it on me, but don't think about it very much."

But newly released TBI stats say Tron and Jenna's should think about crime.

Thefts are up nearly 50%, drug violations, mostly marijuana, up more than 60%, rapes up 200%, and simple assault, like fighting, is up 41.7%.

UT Police Captain Keith Lambert says, "That's been a disturbing trend we've seen. A majority of those are friends who know each other. One of the things we're looking at is program with overall campus civility."

Thefts are the biggest concern for Tron and Jenna.

Dareing says, "I hear there are a lot of break-ins at the Andy Holt parking garage."

Zalewski says, "I have heard some friends of mine cars have gotten broken into and some things have been stolen off racks on top of cars."

Rapes were up 200 percent, but UTK officials say the number is deceiving. They had one reported rape in 2008 and three in 2009.

Zalewski says, "Still that's bad. I don't want to hear about that kind of stuff going on around me."

Captain Lambert says there is something you can do to lower your chances of being raped.

Captain Keith Lambert says, "We encourage people to avoid walking alone and to let someone else know where you're going to be and who you're going to be with."

Personal safety steps that can make students like Tron and Jenna safer while on campus.