ERIC Number: EJ1155844
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1936-3478
EISSN: N/A
The Clery Act: Student Awareness and Perceptions of Effectiveness at a Public University and a Private College in East Tennessee
Jee, Jeffrey Mark; Good, Donald W.
Journal of Academic Administration in Higher Education, v13 n2 p1-12 Fall 2017
The U.S. Congress has recognized that safety is essential on our college and university campuses. Incidents such as the Virginia Tech massacre and the death of Jeanne Clery have emphasized the need for legislation that assists students in selecting a safe college and improves their safety by reducing the incidence of crimes and fires. The Clery Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to provide annual information on the number and type of crimes on campus as well as the number and cause of fires occurring in the residence halls. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived effectiveness of the Clery Act by students at two higher educational institutions in East Tennessee. This study determined that students are not aware of the Clery Act as it relates to the crime and fire statistics to a significant extent. However, students are aware of the Clery Act as it relates to the issuance of safety notices, emergency notifications, or timely warnings by their institution. Students do not tend to use the Clery Act crime and fire statistics in their decisions as to what college to attend, indicating the limited effectiveness of the Clery Act. Lack of use of the Clery Act crime and fire statistics may be related to a lack of awareness of their existence. Students perceive to a significant extent that the reporting of the Clery Act crime and fire statistics as well as the use of safety notices, emergency notifications, or timely warnings, improved their safety and security while on campus. The Clery Act mandated use of safety notices, emergency notifications, or timely warnings issued by the institution results in students changing their behavior to protect themselves and their property. Students perceive that the reporting of crime and fire statistics as well as the use of safety notices, emergency notifications, or timely warnings, has reduced crime and fires on campus. [Note: The citation on the PDF (v12 n2 Fall 2016) is incorrect. The article was published in v13 n2 Fall 2017.]
Descriptors: Public Colleges, Private Colleges, School Safety, Federal Legislation, Student Attitudes, Crime, Fire Protection, College Choice, Emergency Programs, Access to Information, Disclosure, School Security, College Students, Student Surveys, Statistical Analysis
JW Press. P.O. Box 49, Martin, TN 38237. Tel: 731-587-4010; Fax: 731-588-0701; Web site: http://JWPress.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Tennessee
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A