"What is the Jeanne Clery Act: Campus Safety Explained"

The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, also known as the Clery Act, is a federal law in the United States that requires colleges and universities to disclose information about campus crimes and security policies. Enacted in 1990 as part of the Higher Education Act, this legislation is named after Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered in her dorm room in 1986. Her parents, Connie and Howard Clery, advocated for greater campus safety and transparency, leading to the passage of this landmark legislation.

Purpose and Key Requirements

The primary goal of the Clery Act is to promote transparency and accountability regarding campus safety and security. It aims to provide prospective and current students, as well as their families, with the information they need to make informed decisions about their safety and the safety of their loved ones. Some of the key requirements of the Clery Act include:

• Annual Security Report (ASR): Institutions must publish an annual security report that contains information about campus crime, fire safety, and other safety-related policies and procedures.
• Timely Warnings: If a crime occurs that poses an ongoing threat to the campus community, institutions must issue timely warnings to notify students and employees.
• Daily Crime Log: Institutions must maintain a daily crime log that is accessible to the public and contains information about certain criminal incidents reported to campus security or local police.
• Emergency Notification System: Institutions must have an emergency notification system in place to alert the campus community in the event of an emergency or dangerous situation.

Campus Geography and Clery Act Jurisdiction

The Clery Act applies to all institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs. This includes public and private colleges, universities, and trade schools. The Clery Act's jurisdiction extends to the entire campus, including on-campus student housing, non-campus buildings or property, and public property within or immediately adjacent to the campus.

Public Property Adjacent to Campus

Institutions must also consider public property immediately adjacent to or accessible from the campus as part of their Clery Act jurisdiction. This can include streets, sidewalks, and public parks within a reasonable distance of the campus. Institutions must make a reasonable effort to collect and report crime statistics from these areas.

Clery Act Crime Definitions and Reporting

The Clery Act requires institutions to report specific crimes that occur within their jurisdiction. These crimes are categorized into seven main categories, including criminal offenses, hate crimes, and violence against women. Institutions must report these crimes using the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) and National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) definitions established by the FBI.

Hate Crimes

In addition to the seven main crime categories, the Clery Act requires institutions to report hate crimes that are motivated by bias against the victim's race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, or disability. Institutions must also report any larceny-theft, simple assault, intimidation, or destruction/damage/vandalism of property that is motivated by bias.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Institutions that fail to comply with the Clery Act can face significant penalties, including fines and loss of federal funding. The maximum penalty for non-compliance is $57,317 per violation. Additionally, institutions that make false statements or misrepresentations in their annual security report can face civil penalties up to $39,620 per violation.

Resources and Further Reading

For more information about the Clery Act, its requirements, and best practices for compliance, institutions can consult the following resources:

By understanding and complying with the Clery Act, institutions can help promote a safer campus environment and foster greater trust with their students, faculty, and staff.