Jeanne Clery Campus Safety and Security Act

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, commonly referred to as the Clery Act, requires higher education institutions to collect, report and disseminate crime data to the campus community and U.S. Department of Education; to provide timely warnings of reported crimes that represent a threat to the safety of students or employees; and to make public their campus security policies. In compliance with this legislation, Georgetown University’s Department of Public Safety disseminates public safety alerts to faculty, staff and students, produces an annual crime report, and maintains a log of reported criminal incidents.

The Clery Act specifies that higher education institutions disclose statistics for incidents that are reported to a campus security authority or local police that take place on campus, in or on noncampus buildings or property, or on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from campus. The Act mandates that institutions disclose three categories of crime statistics: 1) Types of offenses – criminal homicide; forcible and non-forcible sex offenses; robbery; aggravated assault; burglary; motor vehicle theft; and arson; 2) Hate crimes; and 3) Arrests and referrals for disciplinary action.

Jeanne Clery was a 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman when she was assaulted and murdered in her dorm room in April 1986. The “Clery Act” was enacted in the belief that crime awareness can prevent campus victimization.

Learn more information about the U.S. Department of Education’s enforcement of campus security issues, including those in the Clery Act.