Clery Act & Crime Reporting
Campus Security Act Overview
Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman, was assaulted and murdered in her dorm room in April 1986. The Jeanne Clery Act was enacted in the belief that crime awareness can prevent campus victimization. The law requires colleges and universities receiving federal funding to prepare, publish, and distribute, by October 1 of each year, campus security policies and crime statistics. These campus security policies and crime statistics must be distributed through appropriate publications or mailings, to all current students and employees, and made available to any applicant for enrollment or employment upon request. "Safety Counts" serves as the campus security report for the UC Berkeley Campus.
What this means is the University of California, Berkeley must publish a Campus Security Report each year that contains a number of policies related to campus security as well as crime statistics from the University of California Police Department, local law enforcement, and from "Campus Security Authorities." The Jeanne Clery Act defines a Campus Security Authority (CSA) as: a campus police department, individuals with campus security responsibility, individuals designated by the campus, and officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities. For detailed descriptions please see the CSA definitions below.
It is important that the identified CSAs comply with the Jeanne Clery Act reporting requirements. Each Clery Act compliance violation or misrepresentation could result in $35,000 fines and the Department of Education could suspend any or all federal financial aid for the University.
All CSAs are responsible for collecting and reporting certain crimes that are reported to them by students and employees. UCPD will be collecting this information on an annual basis and a statistical report must be forwarded by each CSA (or designated CSA liaisons for large departments) to the University Police Department. This web site has been prepared to assist UC Berkeley CSAs in complying with the Clery Act reporting requirements. The University Police will be responsible for compiling the statistics. Claudia Archer,Crime Prevention Unit ( (510) 642-9113 or ccp@berkeley.edu ), is responsible for assisting departments in classifying crimes and filling out the statistic reports.
What Does This Mean for a CSA?
The CSA will be required to fill out:
- A Campus Security Authority Crime Report form for each incident reported to them.
- A Clery Act Crimes Tally Sheet which compiles the statistics from the report forms. They capture information for the designated previous year
- Both forms are to be sent to the campus Police Department, 1 Sproul Hall, MC# 1199, attn: Claudia Archer, Crime Prevention Unit.
How to Compile CSA Statistics
CSAs are responsible for collecting and reporting certain crimes (murder, forcible sex offenses, non-forcible sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, manslaughter, and arson) that are reported to them by any person (faculty, staff, student, or non-affiliated person). We recommend that departments with multiple CSAs designate a CSA contact (liaison). This liaison would collect the CSA report forms from individual CSAs and compile the Clery Act Crimes Tally Sheet (Microsoft Excel document, 27 KB) for the department.
- When a crime is reported to a CSA, first ask the victim if they would like to report it to the police.
- If so, contact the UCPD at (510) 642-6760. The Police Department is located at Rm. 1 Sproul Hall.
- If not, the Campus Security Authority Crime Report Form (Microsoft Word document, 24KB) should be filled out.
- The completed form should be kept in your department files or forwarded to designated CSA liaison of the department.
The CSA is responsible for keeping a file of Crime Report forms.
- A file should be kept for each calendar year. Reports should be filed in the year the crime was reported to the campus security authority.
- The files should be retained for three years.
Filling out the Campus Security Authority Crime Report
This report must be filled out when a person reports a crime to any CSA if the crime occurred in reportable locations defined by the Clery Act (please consult the location definitions).
- Have the victim read the top portion of the report form.
- Ask if they have reported or are going to report the crime to the police. Advise them that reporting an assault to the police does not commit them to filing charges.
- The location of the crime must be reported. The building name or parking lot number should be given (the room number is not necessary). If the crime occurred on a street, a close address, the "100 Block" (i.e., the 2300 block of Telegraph) or the nearest cross streets should be given.
- A brief description of the crime should be given. This is to determine exactly what crime has occurred. It is important to note any injuries sustained or weapons used. The victim should indicate it if they feel the crime occurred because of any prejudice (racial, sexual, ethnic, etc.) and what leads them to believe this.
- Classify the crime by checking the appropriate box on the form. Consult the crime definitions for explanations of the listed crimes. If the crime reported does not fit any of the definitions, it is not reportable.
- Determine whether the crime is a hate crime or not.
- Liquor, drug and weapons offenses are reported both when an arrest is involved or a referral for campus disciplinary action is in. Liquor, drug and weapons violations require the number of participants involved.
- Determine the Clery Act geographical location category (campus, residence hall, public property, or non-campus) of the crime. Consult the location definitions, the contiguous campus map and the listed non-campus locations.
- List your name, the department you work for (where this report will be stored), and the date.
- The victim may be given a copy of the report, if so desired. Please keep this form in department files for future reference and audit purposes.
If in doubt, contact Claudia Archer, Crime Prevention Unit( (510) 642-9113 or ccp@berkeley.edu )
Filling out the Clery Act Crimes Yearly Tally Sheet
The Clery Act Crimes Yearly Tally Sheet (Microsoft Excel document, 22 KB) should be filled out by each department or a liaison. Even if the reported statistics are all zero, a report is required. Fill in the contact information at the bottom of the form. You may duplicate the blank Clery Act Crimes Tally Sheets as needed.
All crime reports for the calendar year should be collected in a file and stored in your department. If a crime is reported one year but occurred in a previous year, it should be counted in the statistics for the year it was reported and stored in the file for the year it was reported.
The Campus Security Authority Crime Report Form (Microsoft Word document, 24KB) should be compiled for the calendar year and the statistics tallied and placed in the appropriate column of the Clery Act Crimes Tally Sheet. Please use numbers not tick marks. If there are no crimes reported for a category, use the number zero and do not leave a blank.
If you have any questions about these forms, or tallying crimes, please contact Claudia Archer, Crime Prevention Unit (510) 642-9113 or ccp@berkeley.edu )
Campus Security Authority Training Sessions
UCPD has developed a Powerpoint presentation to help Campus Security Authorities understand the Clery Act, why they have been designated as a CSA, and what is required of them as CSAs. To assist you in better understanding the requirements, definitions and procedures involved with compliance to the Clery Act UCPD will meet with CSAs to hold training sessions. Please contact Claudia Archer at (510) 642-9113 or ccp@berkeley.edu to receive training.
You can also download the Clery Act Campus Security Authority Powerpoint Presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint, 4.03MB)
Documents Available for Download
Clery Act Crimes Yearly Tally Sheet (Microsoft Excel document, 22 KB)
Campus Security Authority Crime Report Form (Microsoft Word document, 24KB)
