I’m a Berkeley resident and my son attends UCB. There’s some discussion of that particular subject in this thread: Parents paying for private security at UC Berkeley
As far as your bigger question, I think a visit would definitely help you and your D to get a sense of the environment around UCB. Walk around campus, and also the immediate surrounding areas where most students live both on and off campus (Southside, Northside, and downtown). Southside is very lively, student-centered and urban; downtown is more of a typical urban area, but of course has lots of student activity, too; Northside is quieter.