Campus Crime Definitions
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is the landmark federal law, originally known as the Campus Security Act that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. The "Clery Act" is named in memory of 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman Jeanne Ann Clery who was murdered while in her residence hall room on April 5, 1986. Because the law is tied to participation in federal student aid programs it applies to most institutions of higher education both public and private. It is enforced by the United States Department of Education.
In compliance with the Clery Act, the following definitions of reportable crimes are listed below. All crimes are excerpted from the F.B.I.'s Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook.
- Murder and non-negligent manslaughter: the willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.
- Negligent manslaughter: the killing of another person through gross negligence.
- Robbery: the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person, or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.
- Burglary: the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. Three conditions must be met for this classification:
o Evidence of unlawful entry, which may either be forcible or not.
o The structure entered must have four walls, a roof and a door.
o There must be evidence that the entry was made in order to commit a felony or theft.
- Aggravated assault: is an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.
- Arson: any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.
- Motor vehicle theft: the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
- Illegal weapons possession violations: the violation of laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation, possession, concealment or use of firearms, cutting instruments, explosives, incendiary devices or other deadly weapons.
- Drug abuse violations: is the violation of laws prohibiting the production, distribution and/or use of certain controlled substances and the equipment or devices utilized in their preparation and/or use.
- Liquor law violations: is the violation of state or local laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation, possession, or use of alcoholic beverages, not including driving under the influence and drunkenness.
- Hate crimes: Molloy College reports hate crimes precipitated against individuals or groups when the motivating reason, in whole or part, can be attributed to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability bias. Molloy College reports hate crimes that are attributed to murder, manslaughter, sex offenses, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, simple assault, vehicle theft, larceny, arson and intimidation.
Before an incident can be classified as a hate crime, sufficient objective facts must be present to lead a reasonable and prudent person to conclude that the offender's actions were motivated, in whole or in part, by bias. The following hate crime definitions are sourced from the Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook, 2004; U.S. Department of Justice.
- Larceny/theft: The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another.
- Pocket-picking: The theft of an article from another person's physical possession. During this crime the victim usually does not become immediately aware of the theft.
- Purse-snatching: The grabbing or snatching of a purse, handbag, etc., from the physical possession of another person.
- Shoplifting: The theft, by someone other than an employee of the victim, of goods or merchandise exposed for sale.
- Theft from a building: A theft from within a building that is either open to the general public or where the offender has legal access.
- Theft from a coin-operated machine or device: A theft from a machine or device that is operated or activated by the use of coins.
- Theft from a motor vehicle: The theft of articles from a motor vehicle, whether locked or unlocked.
- Theft of motor vehicle parts or accessories: The theft of any part or accessory affixed to the interior or exterior of a motor vehicle in a manner that would make the item an attachment of the vehicle, or necessary for its operation.
- All other larceny: All thefts that do not fit any of the definitions of the specific subcategories of larceny/theft listed above.
The following hate crime definitions are sourced from the Hate Crime Data Collection Guidelines, October 1999; U.S. Department of Justice.
- Simple assault: An unlawful physical attack by one person upon another where neither the offender displays a weapon, nor the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury.
- Intimidation: To unlawfully place another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words and/or other conduct, but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the victim to an actual physical attack.
- Destruction/damage/vandalism of property (except "arson"): To willfully or maliciously destroy, damage, deface, or otherwise injure real or personal property without the consent of the owner or the person having custody or control of it.
Campus Crime Statistics
Clery statistics for the last three years, currently 2010, 2011, 2012. These statistics must include the newly required hate-crimes category and a residence hall category. See all crime statistics here.