[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 130 (Thursday, November 16, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11069-S11070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON:
  S. 4065. A bill to direct the Attorney General to conduct a study on 
the feasibility of collecting crime data relating to the occurrence of 
school-related crime in elementary schools and secondary schools; to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Accurate 
Crime Trends for School Act, a bill that is critical in protecting our 
children from crimes within their schools.
  Each day, parents send their children off to school with a sense of 
security that they are spending their day in a classroom free from 
danger. The latest outbreaks of school violence and crimes are a clear 
reminder that this is not always the case. While the majority of our 
schools are safe, some parents send their children off to school only 
to find that their child has become the victim of a crime.
  The No Child Left Behind Act requires States and local educational 
agencies to publicly report criminal activity in our schools, based on 
their own reports and best-guess surveys. However, there is no Federal 
crime reporting and tracking system for K-12 schools in the United 
States.
  I strongly believe that accurate data on the crimes occurring in our 
schools will help us develop preventative measures and effectively 
address crimes occurring in our nation's classrooms.
  My bill, the Accurate Crime Trends (``ACT'') for Schools Act, directs 
the Attorney General, in consultation with the FBI and the 
International Association of Chiefs of Police, to determine the 
feasibility of expanding the National Incidents Based Reporting System 
(``NIBRS'') to include information on K-12 school-related crime. NIBRS 
is the FBI's comprehensive, detailed crime reporting system. It 
provides a greater capability of reporting the details of crimes than 
self-reporting or surveys do.
  I want it to be clear that expanding NIBRS would not create a new 
level of bureaucracy. This bill would neither bring the FBI into our 
schools, nor place any new requirements or new burdens upon educators. 
Expanding NIBRS would use existing crime reporting infrastructures to 
collect specific K-12 crime data, allowing us to improve the safety of 
our kids in school.
  This year The Office of the New York State Comptroller released a 
study that underscored the need for such legislation. The report showed 
that at schools sampled, 80 percent of documented incidents of crimes 
went unreported to the State, with a number of

[[Page S11070]]

these instances being serious crimes. This is the type of information 
that we need that we are not currently getting.
  As a parent, I truly believe it is imperative to be made aware of any 
crime that takes place in our children's schools. Our parents, 
educators, and children need and deserve a sense of comfort and 
security from their schools. When we have accurate data on what is 
occurring in our school, we will be able to develop effective policies 
to make sure our schools are safe. This bill is a critical first step 
in achieving this goal.
  The infrastructure for collecting this data is already in place. All 
we have to do is determine the best way to utilize it. The Accurate 
Crime Trends for Schools Act will accomplish just that.
  I hope that my colleagues will join me in support of this 
legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 4065

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Accurate Crime Trends for 
     Schools Act'' or the ``ACT for Schools Act''.

     SEC. 2. STUDY AND REPORT.

       (a) Study.--The Attorney General shall, after consultation 
     with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 
     the International Association of Chiefs of Police, conduct a 
     study to determine the feasibility of expanding the National 
     Incident-Based Reporting System to include information on the 
     occurrence of school-related crime in elementary schools and 
     secondary schools. Such study shall include the 
     identification and evaluation of methods that may be used to 
     collect and report such information.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall submit a 
     report containing the results of the study conducted under 
     subsection (a) to the appropriate committees of Congress.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``elementary 
     school'' and ``secondary school'' have the meanings given the 
     terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
     section 2, $250,000 for fiscal year 2007.
                                 ______