-
Murder of Jeanne Clery
Jeanne Clery, a freshman at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania was raped and murdered in her residence hall. Clery’s parents sued Lehigh University claiming officials were aware of dozens of violent crimes which had taken place on campus in the three years before Clery’s murder. Officials were accused of failing to report these crimes to the public. Clery’s parents began lobbying state and federal legislators for change regarding campus crime reporting policies (O’Dell & Ryman, 2016). -
Pennsylvania College and University Security Information Act
Passed, in part, as a result of lobbying by Clery's parents. This act required colleges and universities in Pennsylvania to report campus crime statistics. Institutions were also required to maintain a public daily record of campus crimes and details pertaining to individuals arrested and charged with a crime. Campuses were also required to provide institutional security policies and procedures to all prospective and current students and employees (1988 act 73, n.d.). -
Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990
SIgned into law by President George H.W. Bush. Institutions were required to report the following violent crimes: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft committed during the current academic year or two previous academic years. Institutions were also required to report any on-campus arrests for liquor law violations, drug abuse violations, and weapons possession and criminal activity at off-campus facilities used by students (Public law 101-542, 1990). -
Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1991
Section 10 of the Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1991 changed the beginning date of crime statistic collection on college and university campuses from September 1, 1991, to August 1, 1991. Additionally, data was to be collected on a calendar year basis instead of academic year (Public law 102-26, 1991). -
Higher Education Amendments of 1992
The term “rape” in the original law was replaced with “sex offenses, forcible and nonforcible” thus broadening institutional reporting on sexual assault. Institutions were also now required to report all educational programs in place which “promote the awareness of rape, acquaintance rape, and other sex offenses” (Document resume, 1992, p. 182). Finally, institutions had to document potential disciplinary sanctions for the accused and reporting protocol for victims (Document resume, 1992). -
Higher Education Amendments of 1998
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton. Officially changed the name of the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act in memory of Jeanne Clery (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). Added manslaughter and arson to institutional crime reports. The definition for “campus” was amended to specifically include residence halls, retail vendors, and public property on campus (Public law 105-244, 1998). -
Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000; Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act
Section 1601 (known as the Campus Crimes Prevention Act) of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 required any registered sex offender who was either employed by or attending classes at a college or university to disclose their registration status with campus officials. Institutions were required to include registered sex offenders in their annual crime statistics reports (H.R. 3244, 2000). -
Higher Education Opportunity Act
Signed into law by president George W. Bush. The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 expanded the list of reportable crimes to include larceny-theft, simple assault; intimidation, and property destruction, theft or vandalism. Additionally, institutions were required to include policies regarding emergency procedures, timely warnings, and missing students in their annual report (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). -
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2013
Signed into law by President Barack Obama. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act was signed into law on March 7, 2013, and included a number of amendments to the Clery Act. These amendments addressed the disclosure of statistics, institutional programs, victims’ procedures, and institutional disciplinary actions regarding dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). -
References 3
Public law 101-542. (1990). Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-104/pdf/STATUTE-104-Pg2381.pdf Public law 102-26. (1991). Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-105/pdf/STATUTE-105-Pg123.pdf Public law 105-244. (1998). Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-105publ244/pdf/PLAW-105publ244.pdf U.S. Department of Education. (2009). Federal register, part II. Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2009-08-21/pdf/E9-18550.pdf -
References 4
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education. (2016). The handbook for campus safety and security reporting, 2016 Edition. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf -
The Clery Act Moving Forward
Lee (2017) maintains that institutions have a “broader focus and more defined categories of crime prevention and education” (p. 64) because of the Clery Act and its amendments. All students, regardless of gender identification, should be able to report crimes to campus authorities. Institutions should continue to develop crime awareness programs for a diverse student body and find new ways to distribute information to students and employees in a timely manner. -
References 1
1988 act 73. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?
yr=1988&sessInd=0&act=73# Document resume. (1992). Retrieved from
https://ia902609.us.archive.org/26/items/ERIC_ED351985/ERIC_ED351985.pdf H.R. 3244. (2000). Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-106hr3244enr/pdf/BILLS-106hr3244enr.pdf -
References 2
Lee, E.A.S. (2017). The Clery Act on campus: Status update and gender implications. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2017(179), 59-66. doi: 10.1002/cc.20262 O’Dell, R. & Ryman, A. (2016, April 15). 'It means her life was not in vain': The tragedy that gave birth to the Clery Act. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-investigations/2016/04/15/tragedy-that-gave-birth-to-clery-act/82811052/
