The Clery Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities in the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. The law, officially known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, was enacted in 1990 in response to the tragic murder of Jeanne Clery, a student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.

The main purpose of the Clery Act is to provide transparency and promote campus safety by requiring institutions of higher education to report crime statistics and security policies to the public. Under the Clery Act, colleges and universities must publish an annual security report that includes crime statistics for the past three years, information about crime prevention programs, drug and alcohol policies, and procedures for reporting crimes.

In addition to the annual security report, institutions must issue timely warnings to their students, faculty, and staff about crimes that pose a threat to the campus community. This is intended to alert individuals to potential dangers and promote awareness of safety issues on campus.

The Clery Act also requires colleges and universities to maintain a daily crime log that records details about all criminal incidents reported to campus security or local law enforcement. This log must be accessible to the public and kept up to date.

Failure to comply with the Clery Act can result in significant penalties, including fines and the loss of federal funding. As a result, most colleges and universities take their obligations under the Clery Act very seriously and work diligently to ensure compliance.

Overall, the Clery Act plays a vital role in promoting campus safety and accountability, and it has helped to raise awareness about crime on college campuses. By providing students and parents with valuable information about campus security, the Clery Act aims to create a safer and more secure learning environment for all members of the university community.