Improvements to Security in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences: JCard Access

By Christopher Smith November 20, 2003

Table of Contents
1. Security at Johns Hopkins University..............................................................................1 1.1 Crime in the Homewood Campus Area..................................................................... 1 1.2 Security in University Student Housing.................................................................... 2 1.3 Problems with the Security Measures in the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences.......................................................................................................3 3. Solutions to Increase Security in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences............................................................................................................................6 4. JCard Access Control System..........................................................................................7 4.1 Description of JCard Access Control System............................................................8 4.2 Benefits of the JCard Access Control System .......................................................... 9 5. Installing the JCard Access Control System in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences.........................................................................................................10 5.1 Locations JCard Readers Will Be Installed............................................................. 10 5.2 Cost to Install JCard Access Control System in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences........................................................................................11 6. Conclusions and Recommendations.............................................................................. 11 Appendix B: Student Survey Data ...................................................................................14 Appendix C: Student Survey............................................................................................ 15 Appendix D: Bibliography.................................................................................................16

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1. Security at Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University is a prestigious university with its main campuses located in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. At Johns Hopkinss Homewood Campus, the main undergraduate campus, approximately 4,100 undergraduate students, 1,500 graduate students, 120 post doctoral fellows, and over 6,000 supporting faculty and staff attend classes or work. About 2,000 of the undergraduate students live in residences owned by Johns Hopkins. Because the Homewood Campus is located in an urban environment, the safety and security of students and staff in University residences is an important concern of the Housing Department. 1.1 Crime in the Homewood Campus Area Any major city has crime, and Baltimore is no exception. Unfortunately, Baltimore tends to have crime rates worse than the national average. According to crime statistics for Baltimore (see Appendix A), the murder rate is about six times higher than the national average, robberies are about three times the national average, aggravated assault is 3.5 times the national average, and burglaries are 1.5 times the national average. In recognition of the crime statistics for Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University does its best to provide effective security for the students, employees, visitors, and neighbors. Compared to some parts of Baltimore, the area surrounding the Johns Hopkinss Homewood campus is relatively safe. However, data contained in the Johns Hopkins 2002 Security Report, the most recent report the Security Department has issued, shows that there is significant criminal activity around Homewood (see Appendix A). Further investigation of Hopkins Security Bulletins shows that during the fall 2003 semester

alone, Hopkins Security has responded to seven robberies as well as a home invasion. In recognition of the crime in the area and the threat crime poses to students, the Housing Department has implemented various security measures in University housing. 1.2 Security in University Student Housing Johns Hopkinss concern for the safety of students, and specifically students living in University owned buildings, is evident in the student residences on and off campus. On the freshman quad, security guards monitor the Alumni Memorial Residences. In the Homewood Apartments, Wolman Hall, and McCoy Hall, Johns Hopkins Special Police man security desks at the entrances to the buildings. In the Bradford Apartments, security cameras monitor the doors. The use of guards, keys, and cameras are meant to inhibit the ability of unauthorized persons to enter dormitories. While the University demonstrates its concern for the safety of students in University owned housing, the level of security in the residence halls is not uniform. Wolman Hall and McCoy Hall have the most restrictive access control. In addition to the Hopkins Special Police manning the security desks at the entrances to Wolman Hall and McCoy Hall, to go anywhere other than the lobby, a student must possess an access card to get through the lobby level security doors. After reaching the desired floor, an access card for the specific floor is needed to get into the wings where actual rooms are located. Finally, a key is needed to enter a suite. The access control scheme in the Homewood Apartments is identical to the scheme in Wolman and McCoy Halls. However, the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences have inadequate security measures. While Wolman Hall, McCoy Hall, and the Homewood

Apartments employ security guards and access cards, the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences rely solely on keys to control and limit entry. The key system used in the Alumni Memorial Residences and Bradford Apartments do not offer a sufficient level of security for their residents.

1.3 Problems with the Security Measures in the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences The current security measures employed in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences are significantly below the level of security present in Wolman Hall, McCoy Hall, and the Homewood Apartments. While Wolman Hall, McCoy Hall, and the Homewood Apartments possess sophisticated security systems severely limiting access to the buildings and, especially in Wolman Hall and McCoy Hall, limiting access between floors, the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences are equipped with security systems that are only security systems in name. In the Bradford Apartments there are two entrances: one on the first floor and one on the second. To get into the building, each resident has a key to the external doors. Once inside, a person can move anywhere in the building unhindered. For entry into apartments, each resident has another key for their apartments outer door and, in cases where more than one person lives in an apartment, a key to the residents room. Monitoring the entry points to the Bradford Apartments are two security cameras, one for the first floor and one for the second floor. Strangely, these cameras are positioned in such a way that they do not actually have a view of the entry doors. The first floor camera is located in a hallway significantly away from the door while the second floor 3

camera is positioned such that a beam blocks its view of the lobby door. The cameras are not a credible deterrent to any would be thieves in the Bradford. Unlike the security guards in Wolman Hall, McCoy Hall, and the Homewood Apartments, cameras can only help after a crime has been committed whereas the security guards actively discourage criminal activity. The situation in the Alumni Memorial Residences is even less secure than the Bradford Apartments. In Alumni Memorial Residences I and II there are 14 doors into the dorms, and in Alumni Memorial Residences A and B there are an additional 4 for a total of 18 doors. Like in the Bradford Apartments, keys are used to enter the Alumni Memorial Residence buildings. Once in one of the four Alumni Memorial Residence buildings, a person can move anywhere unhindered. The doors to the buildings are alarmed and the alarm sounds if a door is open too long. The purpose and effectiveness of the door alarms is questionable. They exist on the supposition that any major theft would involve keeping the door open for an extended period of time, causing the alarm to go off. However, because the alarms go off on a regular basis, no one pays them any heed. The only additional security for the Alumni Memorial residences is a single security guard that spends almost all of his time in the Alumni Memorial Residence II courtyard, rarely venturing over to Alumni Memorial Residence I and never to Alumni Memorial Residences A and B. In comparison to the security measures in Wolman Hall, McCoy Hall, and the Homewood Apartments, the measures in place in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences are below par. This sentiment is backed up by student opinion.

According to data from a survey of students living in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences, only 14% feel their building is secure. One respondent wrote, Anyone could get in if he or she wanted and steal. Another complained that The level of safety that the AMR II residence hall offers is less than what would be expected from a living arrangement that costs $10 thousand a year. Several residents noted that because not every student is given access to the building, students often open the door for people who do not have a key, including strangers who have no affiliation with Johns Hopkins. A student who had a $700 digital camcorder stolen out of his room in the Hollander House of Alumni Memorial Residence II said, Security determined that it was very unlikely a student stole the camera. They said, More likely than not, it was a stranger off the street who someone let in. The security scheme in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences encourages people to let strangers into dormitories. As one student pointed out, You dont want to be the guy who wont let someone in. If I see someone wanting to get into my dorm, Ill let them in. I dont want to be an a--hole. Several residents reported that if all students could get into the dormitories without trouble, residents would be less inclined to open doors for just anyone. Students also feel that keys in themselves are an annoyance, especially when a resident loses a key. As a recent example, a resident living in the Bradford Apartments lost his set of keys. Since someone could conceivably find the keys and get into the apartment building without authorization, the Housing Department had to change the locks on the building. Changing the locks involves not only replacing the locks on the

doors, it also requires old keys be collected and new keys be issued to residents. However, tenants of the Bradford Apartments only discovered that the locks had been changed when they returned to the building and could not get in. To get new keys, the Bradford tenants had to go to the Wolman Hall security desk, turn in the old keys, and get new ones before they could get back into the Bradford. Overall, the security measures provided in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences are in need of improvement. New security measures could significantly enhance the safety of University residences and increase the satisfaction of University housing residents.

3. Solutions to Increase Security in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences
Many solutions exist to improve security in the Bradford Apartments and in the Alumni Memorial Residences. Among the possibilities are cameras, or in the case of the Bradford Apartments, better placed cameras, more security guards, and a card access system. The implementation of card access to the dormitory and apartment buildings would be the most effective solution in terms of cost and security improvement. The biggest security issue, as evidenced by the student survey and personal interviews, is people getting into dormitory or apartment buildings who shouldnt be there. The main way unauthorized people enter the university residences is by residents letting them in. The reason residents let strangers into buildings is because of the current building access scheme where keys linked to specific doors are used. Residents know students visit friends in other dormitories, and the visitor will not have a key to a building he or she 6

does not live in. Implementation of a card access system where every resident has a card that will admit the student to any dormitory will decrease the number of random people students will let into buildings. A survey of the residents of the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences revealed that students feel that, of the options of cameras, security guards, and card access to the buildings, adding card access would make them feel safest (see appendix C). The options of security guards and cameras are not very attractive compared to the implementation of a card access system. The cost of hiring new security guards and the number of guards needed to cover five residence halls makes new guards a very expensive option and will not address the problem of random people being let into university residence halls, especially because of the number of doors in the Alumni Memorial Residences. Likewise, cameras will not address the problem of strangers entering residence halls, and some students feel that cameras would constitute an invasion of privacy. Neither more security guards nor cameras will improve security to the same extent card access to buildings would. The card access system that would benefit the security of residences the most and be the easiest to implement is the JCard, or BbOne, Access Control System produced by Blackboard, Inc.

4. JCard Access Control System

The JCard Network is Johns Hopkinss version of the BbOne Transaction System. The BbOne Transaction System is extremely versatile, capable of handling everything 7

from JCash purchases to meal blocks to library checkouts to building access. Point of Sale (POS), Sentry Security Readers, and other card reading devices communicate with the central JCard Network sever over the internet, permitting the installation of JCard Network terminals anywhere in the world. A function the JCard can perform is security access control to doors and other locations the University wishes to limit access to. 4.1 Description of JCard Access Control System The JCard Access Control System consists of a card reader and associated door control equipment that can be installed at any door that requires restricted access. The card reader itself is a slender box with a slit down the middle to slide a card through. The reader communicates with the JCard Network server, accessing the Universitys database of students and employees to determine if the person attempting to gain access at the card reader is authorized to enter or not. The card readers themselves are capable of being mounted both inside and outside and are capable of operating in temperatures as low as -50C (-58F) to as high as 90C (194F), ensuring they will function in any weather Baltimore has to offer. The magnetic reader heads are guaranteed to function for over 500,000 swipes before needing to be replaced. When mounted on the outside of buildings the readers are protected from the elements by a simple metal shield, ensuring that each reader will last for many years. The Administration of the JCard Access Control System is performed through a simple computer based interface. The Johns Hopkins Office of ID Card Services installs client software on a computer which would allow the Housing Department to control access to the doors in University residences equipped with JCard readers. With the software, the Housing Department authorizes a card to open doors.

The software allows for activation and deactivation of cards and permits a schedule to be set up for door access. The scheduling system allows for doors to be locked and unlocked at certain time or limits access to certain doors by users at specified times. The scheduling system would make an interbuilding visitation schedule possible, similar to the visiting hours that exist between Wolman and McCoy Halls. 4.2 Benefits of the JCard Access Control System Installing the JCard Access Control System in the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences has many benefits to the students living in the apartments and dormitories, to the Housing Department, and to the community at Johns Hopkins University. The major benefit of using JCards for dormitory and apartment building access is the fact that every student and employee of the Johns Hopkins University already has a JCard. Because every Johns Hopkins affiliate has a JCard, there would be no need for the Housing Department to deal with the administration of new cards and residents would not have to have another key or card to deal with. The JCard Access Control System would significantly enhance security in both the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences. With the current key based system, students realize that getting into a dormitory or apartment building that the student does not live in can be difficult. Knowing this, student like to help each other out by opening a door for people trying to get in. Because every student and employee of the school has a JCard, students would no longer feel as strongly compelled to let random people into buildings, limiting the number of strangers in university residences and thereby reducing the likelihood of theft or other criminal activities.

The administration of JCard access to dormitories is much easier than the administration of keys. First off, every student already possesses a JCard, so the cards would not have to be distributed and collected each year like keys are. More importantly, a lost card can be immediately deactivated, bypassing the hassle of changing locks and issuing new keys. Card deactivation is immediate and doesnt inconvenience the other residents of a building. JCard access is also easy to expand to buildings other than the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences. Because they use the internet to communicate with the main server, JCard readers can be installed in any building, new or old, like in the new buildings the University is building on 34th Street or if the Housing Department wanted to use JCards in Wolman Hall or McCoy Hall. The JCard access system is able to grow with the needs of the University.

5. Installing the JCard Access Control System in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences
The Johns Hopkins Office of ID Card Services handles the installation of JCard readers and the associated door control mechanisms. To have the readers installed in the Bradford Apartments and the Alumni Memorial Residences, the Housing Department tells ID Card Services where the readers should go. ID Card Services hires a contractor to install the readers and wiring, and then sends a bill to the Housing Department. The bill from ID Card Services is for the exact amount of the installation; ID Card Services makes no money on the installation of the readers. 5.1 Locations JCard Readers Will Be Installed 10

JCard Readers will be installed next to all exterior doors in the Alumni Memorial Residences and Bradford Apartments. The contractor will determine the ultimate location of each card reader depending on the characteristics of the structure where the reader is to be installed. 5.2 Cost to Install JCard Access Control System in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences JCard readers can be connected in series of 16 readers on a single line. The line is connected to the Internet using a device called an IP converter. The cost to install the JCard Access Control System is as follows: $3500 for the first reader in a series ($2000 for the IP Converter and $1500 for the reader itself) plus $1500 for each additional reader. Table 5.1 breaks down the cost of installing JCard access to the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences. The estimated cost for installing JCard Access Control to the 20 doors in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni memorial Residences is $38,000.
Table 5.1: Cost to install JCard Access in the Alumni Memorial Residences and the Bradford Apartments

Building Alumni Memorial I Alumni Memorial II Alumni Memorial A Alumni Memorial B Bradford Apartments Total:

Doors 7 7 2 2 2 20

Cost $12,500 $12,500 $5,000 $5,000 $3,000 $38,000

The cost of $38,000 is estimated and could be higher or lower depending on various factors such as difficulty of installation, wiring, and number of IP converters required.

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

The safety and security of students in University residence halls is an important 11

concern of the Johns Hopkins University. The security systems currently installed in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences are sub-par compared to the other University residences and do not adequately control access to the buildings. Of the available options for improving the security systems in the Bradford Apartments and Alumni Memorial Residences, the installation of a JCard Access Control System is the most effective solution, both in terms of cost and security enhancement. The JCard system is also easily expanded to other buildings, new and old, so the system can grow with the needs of the University. The initial investment in the JCard system may appear to be high, but in the long run the increase in satisfaction and safety of students will pay off.

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Appendix A: Crime Statistics for Baltimore, MD and Homewood Campus

Table A.1: 2002 Crime Statistics for Baltimore, MD Crime 2002 Per 100,000 National per Total People 100,000 People Murders 253 37.7 5.6 Forcible Rapes 178 26.53 33.0 Robberies 4714 702.5 145.9 Aggravated 8644 1288.17 310.1 Assaults Burglaries 8759 1305.31 746.2 Larceny/Thefts 26716 3981.35 2445.8 Motor Vehicle 6556 977.01 432.1 Thefts Crime Index 55820 8318.58 4118.8
Data from http://baltimore.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm

Table A.2: Crime Statistics for Homewood Campus Offense 2000 2001 Murders 0 0 Robbery 10 16 Burglary 16 14 Aggravated 2 5 Assault Forcible Sex 1 0 Offense Motor Vehicle 12 15 Theft Totals: 41 45

2002 0 15 6 7 2 6 36

Totals 0 41 36 14 3 33 122

Data from Johns Hopkins University 2002 Security Report: http://www.jhu.edu/~security/Annual_report.pdf

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Appendix B: Student Survey Data

Figure B.2: Support for JCard access to University Residences

Don't Support JCard Access 10%

Don't Care 12%

Support JCard Access 78%

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Appendix C: Student Survey

Resident Security Survey

This short survey is intended to get residents opinions about the level of security in their dorms. Thank you for taking this survey. 1. How secure do you feel your building is (circle one)? Very Insecure | Insecure | Neutral | Secure | Very Secure 2. Do you have any comments about the security in your building?

3. Do you have any comments about the use of keys to get into your building? Has using keys ever cause a problem for you?

3. Which of the following options would you prefer to see implemented to increase the security of your building? Security Guards | Security Cameras | JCard access 4. How often do you visit buildings you do not live in? Never | Rarely | Sometimes | Often 5. How difficult is it to visit buildings you do not live in? Very difficult | Somewhat difficult | Not difficult

Any other comments or ideas about dormitory security?

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Appendix D: Bibliography
Baltimore Crime Statistics and Crime Data (Baltimore, MD). Nov 11, 2003. <http://baltimore.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm>. Blackboard, Inc. Nov 12, 2003. http://www.blackboard.com. Johns Hopkins 2002 Security Report. October 1, 2003. <http://www.jhu.edu/~security/Annual_report.pdf>. Johnson, Robert. Personal Interview. Nov 12, 2003. Kendzejeski, Mike. Personal Interview. Oct 30, 2003.

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