On Monday, October 1, the Department of Public Safety released the 2017-2018 Clery Report. The report was sent through campus email and is posted on Public Safety’s website. Each year, on October 1, Public Safety posts the report, and many may wonder why? Here is some background on what the Clery Report is and why it is important.
What is the Clery Act?
The Clery Act is a consumer protection law that aims to provide transparency around campus crime policy and statistics (Clery, 2018).
What is the Annual Security Report?
The Clery Act requires colleges and universities that receive federal funding to disseminate a public annual security report (ASR) to employees and students every October 1st. This ASR must include statistics of campus crime for the preceding 3 calendar years, plus details about efforts taken to improve campus safety.
ASRs must also include policy statements regarding (but not limited to) crime reporting, campus facility security and access, law enforcement authority, incidence of alcohol and drug use, and the prevention of/response to sexual assault, domestic or dating violence, and stalking (Clery, 2018).
What crimes are reported in the ASR?
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 (any of the above-mentioned offenses, and any incidents of)
- Larceny-theft
- Simple assault
- Intimidation
- Destruction/damage/vandalism of property
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Offenses
- Domestic violence
- Dating violence
- Stalking
Arrests and Referrals for Disciplinary Action
- Weapons law violations
- Drug abuse violations
- Liquor law violations
Why did it start?
Jeanne Clery was 19 years old when she was raped and murdered in her college dormitory. Her parents, Connie and Howard Clery, could not have known the danger she was in. There had been instances of criminal activity in the area but at the time standards for campus crime reporting simply did not exist in 1986. After Jeanne’s death, the Clery’s lobbied for more transparency in the reporting process. They also created a non-profit organization to guide colleges and universities to implement effective campus safety measures (Clery, 2018).
So, what does this all mean?
Each October, Wentworth Public Safety creates the Annual Security report to provide the community with information about crime on campus and on properties owned or operated by the college. Three years of data are provided for each report to allow for comparison from year to year. The report also includes information about policies and programs on campus that support the awareness of safety to faculty, staff, and students. This includes (but not limited to), on campus safety considerations, off campus safety considerations, safety/crime prevention program, and emergency response plan.
All members of the campus community are encouraged to read the report to better understand the policies and practices on campus for crime reporting and crisis response. One of the best ways to be informed about what is happening on and near campus is to sign up for RAVE alerts. Messages will be sent to your cell phone in cases of emergencies on campus or in the surrounding area so that you are able to make well informed decisions when navigating campus. If you have not signed up for RAVE alerts, you are encouraged to do so here: https://www.getrave.com/login/wit.
Wentworth’s 2017-2018 Annual Security Report can be accessed here: https://wit.edu/clery-report. If you have any questions about the Clery Report, please contact the Department of Public Safety (610 Huntington Avenue, 617.989.4400 – non-emergency line)
For more information about the Clery Act visit: https://clerycenter.org/.
References: Clery Center. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://clerycenter.org/