Crime at UT has fallen from peak in 2020
Across the United States, more crime is being reported at colleges and universities. USA TODAY’s Crimes on Campus map reveals the details.
The map’s data source is information collected by universities under the Clery Act, which is enforced by the Department of Education. The Clery Act aims to increase college and university transparency by requiring degree-granting institutions that receive federal funding to collect and make public campus crime statistics, according to the Clery Center.
Colleges and universities must create an annual security report that includes data from the previous three calendar years and distribute it to students and staff members every Oct. 1. The act, passed in 1990, is named for college student Jeanne Clery, who was raped and murdered in her residence hall at age 19.
What are higher education institutions required to report?
There are four categories of crime that must be reported under the Clery Act: criminal offenses, such as murder, sexual assault, burglary and arson; hate crimes; Violence Against Women Act offenses, including domestic violence and stalking; and arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, like weapons law violations and liquor law violations.
The Clery Act covers crime that happens on campus, including on-campus public property, public property adjacent to campus, and noncampus locations either owned or controlled by the university and used for educational purposes or frequented by students, or owned or controlled by a student organization recognized by the university.
What is crime like at the University of Tennessee?
Despite effects of the pandemic, reported crime peaked at UT in 2020, with a total of 152 criminal offenses, according to USA TODAY’s Crimes on Campus map. The number of criminal offenses in 2021 fell to 92, but in 2022, the most recent year data is available for, the total had risen to 99.
In 2020, there were 30,559 students enrolled at UT. Enrollment rose to 31,701 in 2021 and 33,805 in 2022.
Fondling, burglary and rape were the crimes most frequently committed at UT in 2022. The descriptions of crimes are mandated the Clery Act and don’t always align with university or state terminology.
The data displayed on USA TODAY’s Crimes on Campus map, which dates to 2014, shows that there have been no reports of murder/non-negligent manslaughter or negligent manslaughter at UT during that time.
It is also important to keep in mind that these numbers don’t take prosecution into account. Clery data is sourced from reports only, according to Vanderbilt University’s Clery FAQ. That means the data does not tell you whether a person was prosecuted or convicted after a report.
UT’s Clery coordinator compiles the reported statistics from data collected by the University of Tennessee Police Department, UT Campus Security Authorities, Knoxville Police Department and other law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction for incidents that occurred on UT-owned or -controlled properties, according to UT’s Clery FAQ.
What measures is the University of Tennessee taking to ensure crime transparency?
UT’s Clery Act webpage includes an updated campus Clery map, identifying which locations around campus are covered. Any locations that are not orange, light orange, teal, red or purple are not Clery territory.
UT also sends campus alerts it calls “Safety Notices,” referred to as timely warnings in the Clery Act, in order to “inform members of the campus community of specific crimes so they may make informed decisions for their safety and the safety of others.”
Additionally, UT publishes a public crime log created to “record all criminal incidents and alleged criminal incidents that are reported to UTPD.” According to UT’s Clery page, this means “not all incidents listed on the crime log are included in Clery statistics, UTPD statistics, or being investigated by law enforcement.”
What safety resources are available at the University of Tennessee?
UT lists the following phone numbers as “Campus Safety Numbers.” Emergency: 911
UT Police (Emergency): 865-9743111
UT Police (Non-emergency): 865974-3114
VolAware Student Hotline 865974-HELP (4357)
Distressed Faculty & Staff Hotline: 865-946-CARE (2273)
Campus Information:
Emergency Information Line: 865656-SAFE (7233)
Office of Emergency Management: 865-974-3061
T:Link (Late-night shuttle): 865974-4080
Hayden Dunbar is the storyteller reporter. Email hayden.dunbar@ knoxnews.com.
865-9741000