News Times article leads to false assumptions

Western Connecticut State University Police arrested 24-year-old Marcus Smith of Spring Street for trespassing on midtown campus around 8:30 p.m. after he was seen loitering outside Litchfield Hall.

I am aware that there are laws against loitering and trespassing, but what doesn't make sense to me is how an individual like Smith, who is roughly of college-age, is considered to be trespassing on a college campus at 8:30 p.m. outside of a residence hall, where friends of his could/probably live.

WCSU police station.

An article by the News Times reports that Smith has a history of run-ins with campus police but does not elaborate on that; the only detail the News Times provides is that "Smith was twice cited for loitering on campus [in 2009] and was arrested for first-degree criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor, following the second incident."

The News Times' article lacks any sort of insight as to what led to the incidents, and leaves me –and I'm sure other readers as well– wondering: what is Smith doing to get himself into this kind of trouble, or why is he seemingly being targeted by campus police?

The News Times should have gathered and provided more information on Smith before publishing their article. I understand the urgency for newspapers to get stories out for the public as soon as they arise, but I do not believe they should publish a story with such vague factual statements that leave readers wondering and making possibly false assumptions on the subject.

Works Cited

Staff Reporters. "Danbury man charged with trespassing on WestConn campus." News Times. Hearst Communications, 14 April 2011. Web. 14 April 2011.