Violence is not something that can be completely eliminated in a college community, as altercations are common at MSU and at universities across the country, but students and police should continue being proactive at keeping fights from getting out of hand.

The East Lansing Police Department, or ELPD, has handled between 46 and 145 serious assaults each year for the past five years. ELPD reported 46 aggravated assaults in 2011, a decrease of more than 66 from 2010. These numbers are sporadic and vary greatly from year to year, so the decreasing number does not necessarily mean that assaults have decreased substantially.

Nationally, the rate of U.S. violent crimes increased last year for the first time in almost 20 years, according to a recent report from the Justice Department.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics collected data through telephone surveys and found a 22 percent increase in assaults, making it the highest the country has seen since 1993. These statistics found the rate of assault victims increased from 19.3 per 1,000 persons to 22.5 per 1,000 in 2011.

This report comes as a surprise to many, as crime rates steadily have been declining, seeing record low numbers in 2010.

Although violent crime has increased nationally, the number of reported assaults in East Lansing did decrease last year. But more serious crimes seem to be happening within East Lansing’s borders this year, such as assaults involving journalism sophomore Zachary Tennen and advertising junior Brandon Carmack that have attracted media beyond this region. But even in these cases, these two men were at social events and, according to witness reports, were allegedly drunk and high.

Of course, not everyone gets in fights when they are under the influence, but abusing these substances can severely alter judgment, acting as a catalyst for violent acts.

Those who are known to get violent when under the influence should consider what could result from their actions after they drink or use drugs, and should surround themselves with reasonable people who can calm them down when things start to get out of hand.

But if things do get out of hand at a party or social event, students should consider contacting authorities. When things turn violent, the police are not interested in issuing MIPs or noise violations; they just want to ensure the safety of partygoers.

Ultimately, some students do not know how to control their anger, and many choose to physically fight to resolve conflicts, rather than apply logic and reason to a situation.

But students also need to be aware of how to defend themselves in such situations, and should consider contacting authorities if things get out of control.