[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 42 (Wednesday, April 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2916-S2917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 426--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL 
                     CAMPUS SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. Feingold) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 426

       Whereas students and faculty on college and university 
     campuses are subject to criminal threats from--
       (1) within the borders of their respective institutions; 
     and
       (2) the communities in which their respective institutions 
     are located;
       Whereas, between 2001 and 2003, 84 homicides, 7,941 sex 
     offenses, 9,296 aggravated assaults, and 3,367 arsons on the 
     campuses of colleges and universities in the United States 
     were reported under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus 
     Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 U.S.C. 
     1092(f));
       Whereas between \1/5\ and \1/4\ of all female students 
     become the victim of a completed or attempted rape, usually 
     by someone they know, during their college careers;
       Whereas more than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 
     and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assaults each 
     year;
       Whereas, each year, more than 696,000 students between the 
     ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has 
     been drinking;
       Whereas 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 
     24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, 
     including motor vehicle crashes;
       Whereas, according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety, 
     there were 82 fire fatalities in student housing buildings 
     between January 2000 and January 2006;
       Whereas Security On Campus, Inc., a national group 
     dedicated to promoting safety and security on college and 
     university campuses, has designated September 2006 as 
     ``National Campus Safety Awareness Month''; and
       Whereas the designation of National Campus Safety Awareness 
     Month provides an opportunity to colleges and universities to 
     inform students about--
       (1) existing campus crime trends;
       (2) campus security policies;
       (3) crime prevention techniques;
       (4) fire safety issues; and
       (5) alcohol and other drug education, prevention, and 
     treatment programs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Campus Safety 
     Awareness Month; and
       (2) encourages students who are enrolled in colleges and 
     universities to participate in events and awareness 
     initiatives held during the month of September.

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, today is the 20th anniversary of the 
murder of a 19-year-old on a Pennsylvania college campus, Lehigh 
University in Bethlehem, PA. Twenty years ago, a student who was on 
drugs and alcohol entered her room through three doors which should 
have been locked and committed a brutal rape and murder.
  When I was district attorney of Philadelphia, I dealt with numerous 
incidents of campus crime and knew firsthand of the severity. However, 
I believe that many people would be surprised by the extent of the 
problem.
  According to U.S. Department of Education statistics, from 2001 to 
2003, there were a total of 84 homicides, 7,941 sex offenses, 9,296 
aggravated assaults, and 3,367 arsons on college campuses during that 
period of time.
  The parents of Jeanne Clery, Connie and Howard Clery, have undertaken 
a crusade to try to prevent the recurrence of the brutal crime against 
their daughter and have had a national campaign. Part of that was their 
efforts, which I joined them on, to introduce the Crime Awareness and 
Campus Security Act of 1989, which became law in 1990.
  Regrettably, there is only about one-third compliance with the 
schools on that act. The beginning of the school year is the time they 
call the Red Zone, when there are more offenses likely to be committed. 
For this reason, Security on Campus has designated September 2006 as 
National Campus Safety Awareness Month to provide an opportunity for 
colleges and universities to inform students about existing campus 
crime trends. At a very minimum, the colleges and universities ought to 
comply with the law on disclosure so that students may know what the 
risks are.
  I ask unanimous consent that the full text of my prepared statement 
be printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                   Statement of Senator Arlen Specter


           National Campus Safety Awareness Month Resolution

       Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition today 
     to introduce a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of 
     National Campus Safety Awareness Month. Today is a somber 
     yet, important day for this resolution to be introduced as it 
     marks the 20th Anniversary of Jeanne Clery's murder. In the 
     early morning hours of April 5, 1986, Jeanne Clery, a 19 year 
     old student at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 
     was brutally raped and murdered in her dormitory room. Her 
     killer was a drug and alcohol abuser and a Lehigh University 
     student whom Jeanne had never met. He gained access to her 
     room by proceeding, unopposed, through three propped-open 
     doors, each of which should have been locked. This heinous 
     crime opened the eyes of our nation to the extent of crime on 
     college and university campuses.
       When I was district attorney of Philadelphia, I dealt with 
     numerous incidents of campus crime and know firsthand of its 
     severity. However, I believe that many would be surprised by 
     the extent of the problem. According to recent U.S. 
     Department of Education statistics, a total of 84 homicides; 
     7,941 sex offenses; 9,296 aggravated assaults; and 3,367 
     arsons were reported on our nation's college and university 
     campuses from 2001 to 2003. In addition, 1,700 college 
     students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from 
     alcohol related unintentional injuries, including motor 
     vehicle crashes. Additionally, more than 696,000 students are 
     assaulted by another student who has been drinking and more 
     than 97,000 students are victims of alcohol related sexual 
     assault or date rape according to the latest research from 
     the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
       Since their daughter's death, Connie and Howard Clery, have 
     worked tirelessly in their daughter's memory to protect the 
     lives of college students by warning them of these dangers 
     through the work of Security On Campus, Inc., a national 
     nonprofit that they founded, which is based in King of 
     Prussia, Pennsylvania. The Clerys first brought these issues 
     to my attention shortly after their daughter's murder and I 
     worked with them

[[Page S2917]]

     to develop the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 
     1989, which became law in 1990. This Act was modified and 
     included in the Higher Education Act of 1998, as the Jeanne 
     Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime 
     Statistics Act. Although the U.S. Department of Justice has 
     concluded that only a third of all schools are reporting 
     their campus crime statistics in a manner fully compliant 
     with the law, the Clery Act has significantly changed the 
     landscape of campus security for the better, but as the 
     statistics reveal, more work remains to be done.
       Security on Campus has found that the beginning of each new 
     school year can be an especially dangerous time for students. 
     This is particularly true for first year students who are on 
     their own for the first time in a new environment and are 
     experiencing new freedoms. Due to the increased risk of 
     sexual assault that female college students face during this 
     time, the period from the start of the Fall semester through 
     the end of November is often referred to as the ``Red Zone''. 
     For this reason, Security on Campus has designated September 
     2006 as National Campus Safety Awareness Month to provide 
     opportunity for colleges and universities to inform students 
     about existing campus crime trends, campus security policies, 
     crime prevention techniques, fire safety, and alcohol and 
     other drug education, prevention and treatment programs.
       Throughout the past several years, I have worked together 
     with the Clerys, Security on Campus, and crime prevention 
     professionals on campuses across the country to help raise 
     much needed awareness about these dangers. Thus, I urge my 
     colleagues, in honor of Jeanne Clery's memory, to join me in 
     this effort by supporting the goals and ideals of National 
     Campus Safety Awareness Month.
       Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

                          ____________________