Fewer students are getting arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour, according to new figures from Kingston Police.

A series of requests under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that the number of 18 to 25 year olds committing alcohol related crimes fell 31 per cent in the last three years.  Students perpetrated only 20 per cent of the incidents recorded, putting to rest stereotypes of drunken behaviour.  

Robin Moss, a 21-year-old Engineering student, believes undergraduates are more mature than they are given credit for.  He said: “There’s quite a few people who go out and get pissed quite often but at the same time they don’t do it a day before an exam.  They still get work done.”  He added that university work has become more important than socializing. “To be honest , I think half the time it’s not the students. Especially as we’re all engineers, we just don’t have the time to get pissed and go trash anything.” 

The numbers of young people admitted to Kingston hospital for alcohol abuse also fell 24 per cent since 2006, although the total number of patients increased by 10 per cent.

Police said the success was partly due to Operation Anthony.  The scheme worked in partnership with Kingston University to crack down on unruly student behaviour at the start of the academic year in September.   However, levels of alcohol related crime have decreased over a number of years and it is questionable whether the short-term Operation Anthony project made a significant impact.  

Inspector Mick Mills of Operations at Kingston Police refused to comment on whether Operation Anthony was a necessity but said: “Clearly the aim of the operation was not just about enforcement.  Education, building relationships [and] keeping young people safe all played a part in the success of Operation Anthony.” 

Dr Glyn Jones, Head of Student Services at Kingston University also expressed relief that fewer students were getting arrested as a result of alcohol intake but insisted measures would continue to control bad behaviour.  He said: “No one can afford to rest on their laurels.  We have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for all our students so will always be committed to allocating resources and continuing to work closely with the police to reduce all – including alcohol-related – crime.”

With a recession taking hold, cash-strapped students may be opting for nights in, reducing negative impacts of drinking.  James Cheesman, a 22-year-old student at Kingston said with the increasing price of drinks, students are only going out for a single drink.  “It’s beginning to be the only option.”