One purpose of CLERY is to encourage reporting and the accurate collection of campus crime statistics to promote crime awareness and to enhance campus safety through reliable statistical records. The purpose of this report form is to provide a uniform procedure for documenting the (What, When, Where) of certain reportable crimes and/or non-criminal hate motivated incidents that have occurred within one of the four reporting locations and which have been reported to a Campus Security Authorities (CSA) other than the USM Police Department. Data collected on this form is to be used to increase public safety, not to identify the victim, therefore, no personal identifying information shall be included on this form.
It is the policy of the University of Southern Mississippi to encourage victims and/or witnesses to crime(s) to report such crimes to the police and/or to a designated Campus Security Authority. For the purpose of CLERY, CSA's are required to document certain reportable crimes and non-criminal hate motivated incidents which have been reported to them and which have occurred in the following locations:
1) On-Campus property: Offense statistics for any building or property owned or controlled by the University within the same reasonable contiguous geographic area and used by the university in direct support of, or in a manner related to, the university's educational purpose, including buildings or property, the location described herein that is owned by the University but controlled by another person and which is frequently used by students. (Excluding residential life buildings).
2) On-Campus residential life buildings
3) Non-Campus property: Offense statistics for non-campus property or building owned or controlled by the university that is frequently used by students and is not within the same reasonable contiguous geographic area of the institution, or any building/property that is owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by the institution.
4) Public property: Offense statistics for public property located immediately adjacent to and accessible from campus, including: thoroughfares, sidewalks, streets, lands, and parks.
Documentation is required if any of the listed below violations occur.
CLERY documentation is not satisfied by simply directing/referring the reporting party to the USM Police Department. In order for USM to satisfy the statistical reporting requirements for the Clery Act, all CSA's are required to complete this form when any of the specified offenses are reported to them. Nonetheless, a person reporting a crime shall also be encouraged to report the crime to the University of Southern Mississippi Police Department.
The following crimes should be reported using this form:
• Murder/Non-Negligent Manslaughter – The willful killing of one human being by another.
• Negligent Manslaughter – The killing of another person through gross negligence.
• Rape – Any sexual act directed against another person forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent.
• Rape- Attempts to Commit Rape (Incest, Fondling, and Statutory Rape) – Unlawful, non-forcible sexual intercourse.
• Robbery – Taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody or control of a person or persons by force or threat of violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.
• Aggravated Assault – Unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. Usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.
• Burglary – 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 – Willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn with or without intent to defraud a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or the personal property of another.
• Relationship/Dating Violence - Conduct arising out of a personal, intimate relationship that: (a) Inflicts physical injury upon another person; or (b) Places another in fear of, or at risk of, physical injury or danger.
• Stalking - Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person without the legal purpose and the individual engaging in that conduct knows or should know that the course of conduct would case a person to:
(i) Fear for the persons safety or the safety of the person's immediate family or close friends; or
(ii) Suffer substantial emotional distress.
• Hate Crime – Any of the above offenses (in addition to damage to property, larceny, simple assault, and intimidation) that manifest evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias or perpetrator perceived the person to be in one of the protected group categories.
INSTRUCTIONS:
a. If the reported incident constitutes a threat to the safety of the Southern Miss community, in addition to the completing this form, the CSA shall immediately telephone the USM Police Department at (601) 266-4986.
b. Confidential information and anonymous reports are accepted. However, if the reporting party is a victim of a sex offense, he/she shall also be encouraged to report the crime directly to the police department and/or the University Counseling Center.
c. While second hand reports are inherently unreliable and are difficult to verify, such reports shall also be accepted. The potential for duplication of reported incidents shall not be a factor in determining whether or not a report is taken.
d. CLERY reporting (this form) does not replace or change any existing reporting requirements or procedures for disciplinary referrals for student or employee misconduct.
e. Hate crimes present a special reporting challenge. CLERY requires the CSA to document each reported crime occurrence, and CLERY also requires the CSA to record the category of prejudice.
