Clery Crime Classifications and Definitions
The Annual Fire Safety and Security Report contains statistical accounting of reported crimes collected by the Department of Public Safety. Definitions used to classify these incidents are governed by the Federal Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
Primary Offenses
Murder and Non-Negligent Manslaughter: The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. Excludes deaths caused by negligence, suicide, or accident; justifiable homicides; and attempted murder or assault to murder.
Negligent Manslaughter: The killing of another person through negligence.
Justifiable Homicide: Limited to (1) the killing of a felon by a law enforcement officer in the line of duty, or (2) the killing of a felon by a private citizen.
Robbery: Taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person by force, threat of force, violence, or by putting the victim in fear.
Aggravated Assault: An unlawful attack by one person upon another to inflict severe or aggravated bodily injury, usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Includes attempts where a deadly weapon is used. Excludes simple assault.
Burglary: The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. Includes forcible entry, unlawful entry without force, and attempted forcible entry. Force is not required to classify an incident as a burglary.
Motor Vehicle Theft: The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle (e.g., automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motor scooters, snowmobiles). Excludes motorboats, construction equipment, airplanes, and farming equipment.
Arson: Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling, public building, motor vehicle, aircraft, or personal property. Excludes fires of suspicious or unknown origin.
Hazing: Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that:
- is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and
- causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury
Sex Offenses Any sexual act directed against another person without consent, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent.
Rape: Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without consent.
Fondling: Touching the private body parts of another person for sexual gratification without consent, including cases where the victim cannot consent due to age or temporary/permanent mental incapacity.
Incest: Sexual intercourse between persons related within degrees where marriage is prohibited by law.
Statutory Rape: Sexual intercourse with a person under the statutory age of consent (sixteen years of age in Pennsylvania).
VAWA / Campus SaVE Act Offenses
Domestic Violence: Violence committed by a current/former spouse or intimate partner, co-parent, cohabitant, or person similarly situated under local domestic violence laws, or any person against an adult or youth victim protected under local laws.
Dating Violence: Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. Relationship status is evaluated based on length, type, and frequency of interaction.
Stalking: Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for safety (self or others) or suffer substantial emotional distress.
Course of Conduct: Two or more acts (direct, indirect, or via third parties) including following, monitoring, observing, surveilling, threatening, communicating to/about a person, or interfering with property.
Reasonable Person: A person under similar circumstances and with similar identities to the victim.
Substantial Emotional Distress: Significant mental suffering or anguish, whether or not professional treatment is required.
Arrest and Disciplinary Referral Offenses
Weapons Law Violations: Violations of laws dealing with weapon offenses (regulatory in nature), including manufacture, sale, possession, carrying (concealed or open), or furnishing deadly weapons to minors, and all attempts.
Drug Abuse Violations: Violations of state and local laws relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, or making of narcotic drugs (e.g., opium, cocaine, morphine, heroin, marijuana, synthetic narcotics, barbiturates).
Liquor Law Violations: Violations of laws prohibiting the manufacture, sale, transport, furnishing, or possession of intoxicating liquor; maintaining illegal drinking places; bootlegging; operating a still; furnishing liquor to a minor; public intoxication on transit; and all attempts. Excludes drunk driving and disorderly conduct.
Hate Crimes & Additional Offenses A Hate Crime is any committed offense where the victim was intentionally selected because of actual or perceived bias against race, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, or disability. The following offenses are included in addition to the primary crimes listed above when it is determined that the actor was motivated by bias::
Simple Assault: Unlawful physical attack without a weapon and without causing severe/aggravated bodily injury (e.g., broken bones, internal injury, severe lacerations, loss of teeth/consciousness).
Larceny-Theft: Unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property without force, violence, or fraud (e.g., shoplifting, pocket-picking, purse-snatching, theft from vehicles, bicycle theft). Excludes embezzlement, forgery, and bad checks.
Intimidation: Unlawfully placing another in reasonable fear of bodily harm through threatening words or conduct, without displaying a weapon or physical attack.
Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property: Willfully or maliciously damaging, defacing, or destroying real or personal property without consent.
Location Categories
On Campus: Buildings or property owned/controlled by the institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area, used in direct support of educational purposes; or property within the same area owned by the institution, controlled by another entity, but used by students and supporting institutional purposes (e.g., retail vendors).
Residence Hall: A subset of On-Campus property specifically designating residential facilities for students.
Non-Campus Building or Property: Buildings or property owned/controlled by a recognized student organization; or owned/controlled by the institution in direct support of educational goals, used by students, but not within the reasonably contiguous main campus area.
Public Property: All public property (e.g., sidewalks, streets, thoroughfares, parking facilities) within or immediately adjacent to the reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution.
