University policies and programs for crime prevention and awareness: An examination of online reports and resources

Crime on college campuses has increasingly become an area of public concern. While the Clery Act requires universities to disclose crime statistics and provide some methods of prevention, crimes on university campuses still appear to be a common problem. The purpose of this study was to examine how institutions were using the Internet to provide students with resources to promote crime prevention and awareness. Specifically, we assessed what online resources and programs institutions provided to students and then evaluated whether these resources met the general requirements of Clery. The accessibility of resources was also examined as well as how both accessibility and compliance with Clery varied across regions and student populations. The findings indicate that while most universities and colleges provide some methods of prevention or disclosure, few universities and colleges go beyond mere compliance by proactively attempting to prevent crime and/or educate their students about crime.