The Clery Act

The Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act) is a federal law dedicated to enhancing safety at America’s colleges and universities through transparency and accountability. It is named in memory of Jeanne Clery, a student who was raped and murdered in her residence hall in 1986. Her family discovered a history of violent crimes on her campus that students and families were unaware of, prompting them to champion this legislation to ensure that, in the future, everyone would have the information needed to make informed decisions about campus safety. All institutions participating in federal student aid programs must comply with the Clery Act, fostering a shared responsibility where transparency drives proactive prevention, education, and community engagement.

The original legislation, enacted as the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, required disclosures of basic campus safety policies and crime statistics to promote transparency and accountability. Over the past 35 years, it has evolved into a comprehensive, holistic framework for campus safety, emphasizing proactive prevention, education, and shared responsibility. Key amendments: 1992 added the Campus Sexual Assault Victims’ Bill of Rights for victim rights and programming (predating Title IX focus); 1998 expanded to hate crimes and renamed it the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act; 2008 introduced emergency notifications, fire safety, and missing students; 2013 VAWA/Campus SaVE Act replaced 1992 provisions with broader protections for dating/domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, plus procedural rights and prevention; 2024 Stop Campus Hazing Act added hazing measures and streamlined the Clery Act’s name to reflect its safety mission.

Under the Clery Act, institutions must produce an Annual Security Report (ASR) by October 1 each year, which may be published jointly with an Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) for campuses with student housing. This report serves as a one-stop shop for campus community members, providing clear, transparent answers to key safety questions—such as how the institution responds to emergencies and how victims of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, or hazing can access support, resources, and accommodations. It also includes a retrospective analysis of crime statistics for the prior three calendar years, empowering shared responsibility and proactive prevention.

In addition to the ASR, many campus community members recognize the Clery Act through the timely warnings and emergency notifications they receive for ongoing threats, empowering proactive awareness and shared responsibility for safety. Institutions also maintain a daily crime log (and a fire log for those with student housing), providing transparent, real-time access to incident details without compromising investigations or victim confidentiality.

Ultimately, campus safety is a shared responsibility among students, faculty, staff, administrators, and communities. For over 35 years, the Clery Act has been a driving force in fostering this collaboration, transforming transparency into proactive prevention, education, and engagement to shape safer, more accountable modern campuses—honoring Jeanne Clery’s legacy beyond mere compliance.

Source: SAFE Campuses, LLC, September 2025