Clery Reporting and Campus Crime Data

“Can you promise us that our daugher will be safe on your campus?”

— Concerned Parent

For fifteen years my team and I oversaw or helped design and deliver college Orientation programs for students and parents. My launch into Orientation was as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when I worked for SOAR (Summer Orientation and Registration) in the College of Engineering. Back then we registered for classes with touchtone phones. That was in the early ‘90s (1990s not 1890s, thank you).

Since then I’ve worked with thousands of students and I’ve answered thousands of questions from thousands of parents and families. Inevitably, the topic of campus safety comes up. I distinctly remember when the question above was asked of our president. The question was taken literally and the response came as “No. I cannot promise that.” There is no way any school can promise to keep students safe. Campuses are mini-cities (some pretty much are cities) and unfortunate things occur. I have been a part of campus closures due to bomb threats, potential active shooters, weather-related events, and of course Covid presented an entirely different kind of risk that forced every institution to review the way they thought about safety to students, employees, and guests.

But I want to unpack this a bit more because I believe the question is not solely about safety but more about risk, and I’m guessing that you have similar types of concerns.

How do I find crime data for a college?

Enter the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Or, better known as The Clery Act.

Passed in 1990, The Clery Act is a federal consumer protection law that requires colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. It aims to provide transparency around campus crime policy and statistics. This includes publishing an annual report that contains crime statistics for the previous three years, as well as a security policy and procedures for responding to emergencies. The law also requires that schools issue timely warnings about any crimes that pose a serious or ongoing threat to students and employees. The goal of the Clery Act is to provide students and families with accurate and complete information about the safety of a college campus, so that they can make informed decisions and choices.

The Act requires that all colleges and universities that receive federal financial aid funding to provide a public annual security report (ASR) by October 1. Hey, that’s the same day the FAFSA goes live every year. Mark that in your calendar now!

Crime data is broken down into four categories:

• Criminal offenses

  • Criminal homicide - murder and non-negligent manslaughter, manslaughter by negligence

  • Sexual assault - rape, fondling, incest, statutory rape

  • Robbery

  • Aggravated assault

  • Burglary

  • Motor vehicle theft

  • Arson

• Hate crimes - associated with any of the above, plus the following:

  • Larceny-theft

  • Simple assault

  • Intimidation

  • Destruction/damage/vandalism of property

• VAWA offenses (Violence Against Women Act)

  • Domestic violence

  • Dating violence

  • Stalking

• Arrests and referrals for disciplinary action

  • Weapons law violations

  • Drug abuse violations

  • Liquor law violations

Availability and Geography of Reporting

Campus police and campus security departments (not all colleges have certified police officers) must maintain a daily log of all reported crime that fall within their jurisdiction. This crime log must be available to the public during daily business hours.

Colleges must track and provide reporting on crimes taking place in the following geography:

• anywhere on campus

• on-campus housing

• public property within the campus boundaries

• public property immediately adjacent to campus

• Noncampus buildings and property owned or controlled by the college that are used for educational purposes and frequently used by students but not a part of the core campus, or those owned or controlled by a student organization officially recognized by the institution

Clery reports are generally easy to find and access as most colleges make them available to the public on the police or campus security websites. I recommend you search for “clery report <name of college>” and it should direct you to the page.

These reports will help you better understand the campus and area crime in general. Keep in mind that it may not be all encompassing as crime can happen to anyone, anywhere and crime occurring off campus may not appear in the campus’ report. The Clery Act report is only one piece of information that should be considered when assessing the safety of a college or university campus. Other factors such as the school's location, the surrounding community, and the school's resources and support services should also be taken into account. Additionally, the Clery Act only requires reporting of crimes that are reported to campus security authorities or police, it does not capture crimes that go unreported.

How do I learn more about a campus’ culture around crime, risk, and safety?

If you don’t know by now, I urge students and families to be educated about their choices. So, as you explore a certain college, I suggest you ask the following questions:

• How does your college inform students of risks?

• What is your college’s emergency response plan? How does it take into account the number of students you have living on campus?

• Do you have a dedicated security team or police department?

• What is the school’s relationship with other local law enforcement agencies?

• What safety programs do you administer and how do you promote them to students?

• What is the coordination on campus with Title IX and gender-based violence?

• What is the school’s policy with regard to alcohol and other drugs and what resources and services do you have for students who may struggle with substance abuse and/or addiction?

• What types of crime alerts have been issued in the last year on campus and in the community?

You can learn more about The Clery Act here.

Do you have something you’d like to learn more about? I’d love to hear from you! Please connect with me at mark@mastalskicoaching.com.