Frequently Asked Questions

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) is a federal law requiring colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to disclose campus crime statistics and security information annually. It is named after Jeanne Clery, a Lehigh University student murdered in her dorm room in 1986.

Safety scores are calculated as total on-campus Clery Act reportable incidents divided by enrollment, expressed per 1,000 students. A lower score means fewer incidents relative to campus size. We normalize by enrollment to make comparisons fair across schools of very different sizes.

Safety scores are normalized per 1,000 students, so size should not be the main driver. If a large university has a higher safety score than a small college, it typically means more incidents per capita, not just more total incidents. However, reporting practices and campus geography can also play a role.

Not necessarily. A low reported crime count could reflect genuine safety, limited on-campus residential life (fewer people living on campus means less exposure), or underreporting. Clery only covers crimes reported to campus security or local law enforcement, unreported incidents are not captured.

Clery-reportable crimes include: murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson. VAWA offenses: dating violence, domestic violence, stalking. Arrests and disciplinary referrals for drug, liquor, and weapons violations.

The Department of Education releases new OPE Campus Safety Survey data annually. Crime statistics are typically reported with a 1–2 year lag. For example, data released in fall 2024 covers the 2023 reporting year. We update PlainCampus when new annual data is published.

No. PlainCampus is an independent data portal presenting publicly available federal data. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, the OPE, or any university.