Clery Act

Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman, was raped and murdered in her campus residence hall in 1986. There were other incidents that occurred on campus that were not reported to the community. It is believed that if students knew of previous incidents they would be more cautious.

The backlash against unreported crimes on numerous campuses across the country led to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. After the suspect of Jeanne’s rape and murder was arrested, Jeanne’s family started to fight for reform to improve college and university safety. In 1990, Congress approved the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act. Later renamed in Jeanne’s memory, the federal Jeanne Clery Act took effect in 1991.

This act requires colleges and universities, who receive federal financial aid, to keep their campus communities informed by sharing select crime statistics required under the Clery Act, which are included in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report every October 1.