Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

The Clery Act

ASFSR

Clery Act Policy

Clery Crimes

CSA's

Compliance Committee

The Jeanne Clery Act

Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman, was raped and murdered in her dorm room in April 1986. Her parents believe she and her fellow students would have been more cautious if they had known about other violent crimes at Lehigh. The Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, later renamed the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) in 1998, requires higher education institutions receiving federal student financial aid funds to prepare, publish, and distribute campus security policies and crime statistics. It further requires higher education institutions to give timely warnings of crimes that represent a threat to the safety of students or employees, and to disclose their campus security policies.

Clery Act Appendix 2016 Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting

The Clery Act requires institutions of higher education participating in Title IV student financial assistance programs to annually publish a report containing Clery crime statistics and on-campus residence hall fire statistics for the preceding three calendar years for all Clery reportable geographical locations. Additionally, the report contains campus safety and fire safety policies and policy statements including (but not limited to) crime reporting, campus facility security and access, law enforcement authority, incidence of alcohol and drug use, and the prevention of/response to sexual assault, domestic or dating violence and stalking. SGSC combines the Annual Security Report and the Annual Fire Safety Report into one report.

Click HERE to view the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

SGSC's Clery Act Policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act by establishing College-wide standards for commitment to the safety and well-being of all members of the Campus Community; accordingly, each campus shall comply with the requirements of the Clery Act. This Policy affects the entire Campus Community and applies to all College personnel that have responsibility for campus safety and security and offices and individuals with “significant responsibility for student and campus activities.” As such, this law requires colleges and universities to collect and disclose information about crimes on or near campus and to share information about safety policies and procedures.

Clery Act Crimes

Clery Act crimes are classified based on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Handbook. Although the law states that institutions must use the UCR for defining and classifying crimes, it doesn’t require Clery Act crime reporting to meet all UCR standards. Additionally, the UCR definition of crimes may define crimes differently than Georgia Penal Code.

General Offenses

Criminal Homicide:

Murder and Non-Negligent Manslaughter: the willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.
Manslaughter by Negligence: 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.

Aggravated Assault: An unlawful attack by one person upon another person for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury.

Burglary; The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.

Motor Vehicle Theft: the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.

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, or personal property of another, etc.

Drugs, Alcohol and Weapons

The College shall compile and disclose statistics for arrests and/or referrals for disciplinary action. If an individual is both arrested and referred for an offense, only the arrest will be disclosed.

VAWA Offenses

Violence Against Women Act

Any incidents of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

Sexual Assault

Any sexual act directed against another person, without consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent. There are four types of sexual assault counted for Clery Act purposes.

Rape: The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim. This offense includes the rape of both males and females.
Fondling: The touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her age or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental incapacity.
Statutory rape: Sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.
Incest: Sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.

Reporting Sexual Assault

Sexual Assault is the undesired physical contact of a sexual nature. No matter if those involved are strangers, casual acquaintances, dating, or even married, if a person uses force or the threat of force to coerce a person , it is illegal. Physical force does NOT have to be a component. Sexual assault can happen to anyone regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic status, or age. Sexual Assault has a profound impact on the victim. The University System of Georgia (USG) and SGSC do not tolerate any form of sexual violence and we encourage the campus community to report any instances of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. Not all reports require a law enforcement response...there are ways to report confidentially and anonymously . Please refer to the list of Campus Security Authorities to whom you may report confidentially.

Sex Offender Registry

In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 42-1-12, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is the central repository for Georgia's Violent Sexual Offender Registry. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation makes every effort to ensure that the information contained in the Georgia Sex Offender Registry is accurate. As the information is provided by other agencies and entities and is continuously changing, the GBI makes no promise or any express or implied guarantee concerning the accuracy of this information.

Another resource to check for sex offenders in the United States and in Georgia is Family Watchdog.

Consent

What is consent?

Consent is permission for something to happen or an agreement to participate in an activity. Consent is essential for preventing sexual coercion and unwanted sexual behavior. Likewise, it is a vital component of mutual pleasure and healthy sexuality.
Consent is a voluntary, sober, informed, and mutual verbal agreement.
Consent is a process, which must be asked for every step of the way; if you want to move to the next level of sexual intimacy, just ask.
Consent cannot be assumed, even in a relationship. Being in a relationship does not mean that you have permission to have sex with your partner.
Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and consenting to one sexual activity does not automatically mean consenting to another sexual activity. Moving to the next level of intimacy requires that you ask.
The absence of a “no” doesn’t mean “yes.”
Both people must be involved in the decision to have sex.
Consent is an active process of willingly, knowingly, and freely choosing to participate in sex of any kind with another person(s).
When there is an invitation of sex of any kind, and consent is mutually given , the answer on everyone’s part must be an enthusiastic, resounding “Yes.”
Consent can be given using words or actions—but it must be clearly communicated that there is a willingness to engage in the sexual activity. If there is uncertainty, sexual activity needs to stop. Discuss each person’s willingness to continue remembering that both parties must communicate interest before moving ahead with sexual activity. Consent can and should be incorporated as an essential and fun part of sexual communication… fundamentally, consent requires communication!

What is not consent?

Manipulated or coerced sexual activity
Silence or lack of resistance
A person who is incapacitated by alcohol or drug use, or for any other reason, cannot consent. A person who is intoxicated cannot legally give consent. If you’re too tipsy to make decisions and communicate with your partner, you’re too drunk to consent.
- Common warning signs that a person may be incapacitated include slurred speech, vomiting, or unsteadiness. Alcohol and drugs can lower inhibitions and create confusion over whether consent is freely given.

Watch a very simple explanation by clicking in the title below!

Domestic and Dating Violence

Domestic Violence: a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim; by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common; by a person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with, the victim as a spouse or intimate partner; by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred; or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred.

Dating Violence: violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the reporting party’s statement and with consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

Domestic Violence is often referred to as intimate partner violence while dating violence is violence committed by a person who has been or is an a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature. The determination of the existence of dating violence is based on the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interactions between the persons involved.

These forms of violence generally display an ongoing pattern of power and control by one over the other. Like sexual assault, domestic violence has no respect to age, race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sexual preference. No matter your view of what an intimate relationship should resemble, everyone deserves respect and to feel safe. No one deserves to be abused and is never the fault of the victim!

Domestic and dating violence includes physical abuse, emotional/verbal abuse, economic, psychological, and/or sexual abuse and this abusive behavior can take many forms. The results are often crippling depression, anxiety, and a host of many worse problems. Be concerned if your partner:

Is excessively controlling, jealous, accusing, and/or possessive
Attempts to isolate you from family and friends
Has a quick temper or unpredictable reactions to ordinary things
Often exhibits violent behavior toward animals, children, or other people
Pressures you for sex
Has a history of bad relationships
Has a strong belief in extreme gender roles
Continually puts you down
Stalks, humiliates, manipulates, terrorizes, coerces
Blames you for the abuse

Says things like:

"If you really loved me…"
"You just don't understand…"
"No one has ever loved/understood me like you do"
"You'd be nothing without me"

The College Power and Control Wheel has been adopted to reflect the experience of college students in violent relationships.

Stalking

Stalking: engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to: fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress.

Stalking is any repeated and unwanted contact with you that makes you feel unsafe. Stalking creates uncertainty, instills fear, and can completely disrupt lives.

Although you can be stalked by a stranger, most stalkers are someone you know — even an intimate partner. Stalking may also be a sign of an abusive relationship. Stalking may get worse or become violent over time.

Someone who is stalking you may threaten your safety by clearly saying they want to harm you. Stalking involves a pattern of overtly criminal and/or apparently innocent behavior that makes victims fear for themselves or others. Some stalkers harass you with less threatening but still unwanted contact.

The use of technology to stalk, sometimes called “cyberstalking,” involves using the Internet, email, or other electronic communications to harass or stalk another person. It is not the mere annoyance of unsolicited e-mail but rather methodical, deliberate, and persistent. The communications do not stop even after the sender has asked to cease all contact. The content of the communications is often filled with inappropriate and sometimes disturbing, content. Cyberstalking is an extension of the physical form of stalking.

Stalking is distinguishable from many other types of crime in two important ways. First, it entails repeat victimization of a person the offender targets—it is, by its very nature, a series of acts, rather than a single incident. Second, it is partly defined by its impact on the victim.

Examples of stalking include

Following you around or spying on you
Sending you unwanted emails or letters
Calling you often
Showing up uninvited at your house, school, or work
Leaving you unwanted gifts
Damaging your home, car, or other property
Threatening you, your family, or pets with violence

Stalking and cyberstalking can lead to sleeping problems or problems at work or school.

Hate Crimes

Hate Crimes: a criminal offense that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim based on specified categories of bias. Hate crimes include the crimes listed as reportable Clery crimes along with the following:

Larceny/Theft: The unlawful taking, carrying, leading or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Includes pocket picking, purse snatching, shoplifting, theft from buildings, theft of motor vehicles, theft of motor vehicle parts or accessories and all other larceny.
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 involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration or loss of consciousness.
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 actual physical attack.
Destruction/Damage/Vandalism or 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 Security Authorities

The Clery Act identifies certain employees as Campus Security Authorities (CSAs). Those employees have federally mandated responsibilities to report crimes that are reported them. Many CSAs are non‐law enforcement because we acknowledge that some members of the campus community may hesitate to report crime to the police and may be more disposed to report incidents to other individuals on campus. Others may be classified as CSAs because of their role at the College and have specific crime reporting obligations under the law.

SGSC includes the following individuals /organizations as Campus Security Authorities.

Student Affairs Personnel	Coordinator of Student Engagement
Clery Compliance Committee	Athletic Coaching Staff & Trainers
Resident Advisors	Athletic Dean or Director
Residence Life Specialist	Intramural Sports Coordinator
Police Personnel	Faculty Advisors to Student Groups
Staff of Disciplinary Proceedings	Title IX Coordinator
Faculty in Residence	Overnight Trip Coordinators

Reporting

Any victims or witnesses to a crime, including victims of a crime who elect not to make a formal complaint or do not wish to pursue action within the College or criminal justice system, are encouraged to report crimes on a voluntary, confidential basis to a SGSC Campus Security Authority. CSAs should explain that they are a federally mandated crime reporters and are required to submit a crime report for statistical purposes and that the crime report can be submitted without identifying the reporting party and/or victim if the reporting party would like to remain anonymous. The Campus Security Authority must report even if the information regarding the incident was shared with him or her confidentially.

SGSC recognizes the sensitive nature of crimes, especially those that involve sexual and gender-based incidents. The College is required and committed to protecting the privacy of any individuals who report these incidents. We do not publish the name of crime victims or other identifiable information regarding victims in its Daily Crime Log, Timely Warnings or Emergency Notifications.

In certain circumstances, we may need to disclose information about a victim to a third party to provide necessary accommodations or protective measures. In these cases, the Title IX Coordinator and/or Chief of Police will determine what information about a victim should be disclosed and to whom it will disclose this information. For example, should there be a need for a room change to ensure the wellbeing of a residential student, the Dean of Students and Housing would be notified.

CSAs shall immediately, or as soon as possible, notify law enforcement of any report received concerning a Clery Act crime or incident (listed in the Clery Act Crime section of this policy). A Campus Security Authority must report the incident unless he or she (1) has good reason to doubt the validity of the information or (2) is reasonably certain that the incident has already been reported. The CSA does not investigate crimes nor should they should attempt to decide if there is adequate evidence of a crime or whether the alleged incident occurred. It is the responsibility of the Police Department to further investigate any CSA report should there be adequate information. The Clery Stats Committee will make the final determination if the incident is a Clery reportable crime.

The Campus Security Authority should provide as much detail about the incident as possible to ensure appropriate response and accurate recording of the incident. It is particularly important for the Police to know where the incident occurred (or is alleged to have occurred) and to have enough detail to classify the incident and to determine if a report has already been made. Additionally, a CSA must note when the crime or incident occurred and when it was reported.

The Clery Compliance Committee has the following responsibilities:

Support the Clery Compliance Coordinator by ensuring that CSAs disclose crimes in a timely manner.
Assists in developing, writing, reviewing, and ensuring the accuracy of the ASFSR and campus policies required to be included in the ASFSR.
Assists in the proper identification of relevant Clery Act geography.
Assists in programming, developing, and providing training and outreach efforts on the campus for compliance and assist in overall compliance with the Clery Act.
Meets at least biannually.
Reviews the SGSC Clery policies and procedures annually to ensure compliance.
Submits quarterly reports to the Clery Compliance Coordinator. At a minimum, these reports outline:
- Status of on-going Clery compliance activities
- List of future Clery compliance activities
- Explanation of any challenges faced since the last reporting period.

SGSC Clery Committee Representatives by Title
VP for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs*	Student Engagement Coordinator
VP of Advancement, Govt. Relations and Athletics	Director of the Waycross Campus
Human Resources Director	Emergency Management Director*
Director of Facilities	Registrar
Dean of Students and Housing for Student Success	Police Department Representatives*
Residence Life and Student Success Specialist	Title IX Coordinator

*individuals with shared responsibilities

Subcommittees
Name/Responsibility	Members	Meets
Clery Stats Subcommittee the primary reviewers for crime and conduct statistics	Police Department Representatives (chair) Dean of Students and Housing for Student Success VP of Advancement, Govt. Relations & Athletics	Quarterly or more often as necessary
CSA Designation Subcommittee	Human Resources Director (chair) Director of the Waycross Campus VP for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Dean of Students and Housing for Student Success
Programming Committee	Coordinator for Student Engagement and Success (chair) Clery Coordinator Chief of Police Assistant Director of Human Resources VP of Advancement, Govt. Relations & Athletics Associate Vice President for Student Success Dean of Students and Housing for Student Success Coordinator of Residence Life and Housing for Student Success Residence Life and Student Success Specialist Student Success Specialist Waycross Police Officer	Quarterly or more often as necessary
Title IX Subcommittee Provide and track education regarding Title IX issues	VP of Advancement, Govt. Relations & Athletics (chair) Dean of Students and Housing for Student Success Director of Human Resources	Each semester
Policy & Procedure Subcommittee	Clery Coordinator (chair) Police Department Representatives Dean of Students and Housing for Student Success VP of Advancement, Govt. Relations & Athletics Registrar	Annually

*subcommittees may be created or inactive dependent up needs of the College