"YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW"
SAFETY AT JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY
In compliance with
the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime
Statistics Act of 1998 (formerly the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of
1990)
October 1, 2007
Safety on the university campus is a natural source of
concern for parents, students and university employees. Education - the business of James Madison
University - can take place only in an environment in which each student and
employee feels safe and secure. JMU recognizes this and employs a number of
security measures to protect the members of its community.
Although the area, with its small-town feel and
neighborly attitude, is perceived to have a relatively low crime rate, crime
prevention remains a high priority among residents. JMU does its part to ensure the safety of its students and employees.
A professionally trained and supervised police force, a closely screened and
well-trained residence life staff, and the students and employees themselves
all share in the responsibility of making the JMU campus a safe place to study,
work and live.
JMU provides full-service police protection to the campus
community through its Office of Public Safety. The jurisdiction of the university police includes, but is
not limited to, a core campus of 655 acres and 102 major buildings.
Out of a group of 32 sworn and commissioned police officers,
all with comprehensive arrest powers, there are 25 fulltime and seven (7) part
time officers. 24 are in uniform and supervise or patrol the campus and
residence hall areas 24 hours a day, seven days a week as well as provide
coverage for special events. Six (6) normally plain clothed officers are the Chief of Police, investigators, technical
support, primary crime prevention or administrative personnel. Their authority,
responsibility and training are the same as required of any police officer in
Virginia. Within their jurisdiction which includes all university-owned,
-leased or -controlled property, the adjacent streets and sidewalks and
expanded off-campus jurisdiction within designated neighboring areas of the
city of Harrisonburg (through mutual aid and concurrent jurisdiction
agreements), university police have the authority to enforce all regulations
and laws, both of the university and of Virginia. They work closely with the
Harrisonburg Police Department, the Rockingham County Sheriff's office and the
local contingent of the Virginia State Police on incidents that occur off
campus. The 25 sworn fulltime officers
primarily perform or are assigned additional tasks such as:
Eight officers do crime prevention
programs
Two are certified and primarily
assigned bike patrol officers
Two are certified evidence
technicians
There is one Investigation
Lieutenant (commander) plus one Sergeant Investigator.
There are four Patrol Sergeants
There is one Patrol Lieutenant
There is one Support Services
Lieutenant
There is one Support Services
Sergeant
One Chief of Police
Five are certified Firearms Instructors
Two are certified First Aid
Instructors
One is a certified Òhigh techÓ
crime analyst and investigator
One is a Breathalyzer Instructor
One is a Defensive Tactics
instructor
Two are certified OC (chemical
weapon) instructors
The seven part time officers
primarily are assigned to work special and athletic events but are subject to
patrol assignments when necessary.
When a James Madison University student is involved in an
off-campus offense, JMU police officers may assist in the investigation in
cooperation with local, county, state or federal law enforcement. The
Harrisonburg police may work and communicate with campus officers on any
serious incidents occurring on-campus or in the immediate neighborhood and
business areas surrounding campus. Many JMU students live in apartment
complexes and neighborhoods surrounding the university. While the
Harrisonburg police exercise primary jurisdiction in all areas off campus
within the city, JMU officers have the authority to respond to student and non
student related incidents that occur in close proximity to campus in the
aforementioned designated expanded off-campus jurisdiction. This option is exercised judiciously and
usually with the full knowledge and concurrence, or at the request of the Harrisonburg
Police. JMU officers have direct radio communication with city police,
fire and rescue services to facilitate rapid response in any emergency
situation.
By mutual agreement with state and federal agencies, the
University Police Department maintains a VCIN/NCIC data and information
communication terminal (Virginia Crime Information Network/National Crime
Information Center).
University police officers are graduates of any of several
state-affiliated regional criminal justice training academies, having completed
the 480-hour police basic performance-based training program, and are required
to complete 40 hours of in-service training biennially. All are certified by
the state Department of Criminal Justice Services as police officers and are
trained in all phases of law enforcement, including the use of firearms.
Officers carry standard issue or approved firearms at all times and must
maintain firearms proficiency through semiannual classroom training,
qualification and certification at a local firing range.
The university police department utilizes state-of-the-art Automatic External Defibulators (AEDs) in the field. All sworn personnel within the department have been trained on the proper use of AEDs and basic life support techniques (Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation - CPR). An AED unit is taken out into the field each shift by one of assigned officers on patrol. This officer is the primary officer directed to all calls in which medical emergency response with the AED may be indicated. Emergency Notiification The University Police enjoy autonomous authority on activation and messaging on the multiple mass-communication emergency alert and notification systems. Go to: http://www.jmu.edu/pubsafety/EmergencyProceduresPoster.pdf for more detailed information on the official JMU mass communication systems plus related the poster and advice on response to a hostile intruder, fire and weather emergencies.
The
mission of the Forensic Unit is to support the actions of the Criminal
Investigation and Patrol Divisions of university's Police Department in its
effort to provide a safe and secure environment for the entire James Madison
University community.
Historical
Overview - James Madison University has and will continue to field a
professional and competent Police Department in an effort to provide the best
vehicle for personal development and growth. This directly benefits the
university community through the level of services provided. To that end the
Office of Police and Public Safety organized and continues to maintain the
DepartmentÕs Forensic Unit. The Forensic Unit consists of high technology
(cyber) and evidence gathering response teams. It is staffed by graduates of
the Virginia Forensic Science Academy and the National White Collar Crime
Center.
The
members of the Forensic Unit are primarily engaged in the forensic
identification, investigation and recovery of physical evidence and are
equipped to respond to any incident or accident. This section is also actively
engaged in the continuing education of graduating members of the Central
Shenandoah Criminal Justice Academy as well as responding to outside agency
resource requests for varying crime scene or other needs.
The
members of the unit maintain a high level of excellence and technical skill
applying effective and scientific practices. The sworn officers of the Forensic
Unit are dedicated to cooperation throughout the local, state, federal and
international law enforcement communities. Members of the unit have in the past
and are available now for the team teaching of students on the practical
application of forensics in investigations in the University's academic
programs. They were also actively involved several years ago in a special summer session "Governor's
School" program for exceptionally talented secondary school students.
Fingerprint
evidence maintains its scientific validity and continues to be the primary
mainstay in identification. Fingerprints are recovered from scenes were it is
necessary to collect evidence. The university police are able to close cases
due to the ability to link suspects and victims to crimes.
Forensic
Unit Capabilities
á
Recovery of fingerprints, tool marks, forensic biology specimens and
trace
evidence
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Image recovery and enhancement
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Accident reconstruction
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Forensic illustration
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Information (cyber) security and recovery
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Demonstrative evidence and analogies
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Presumptive drug exams
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Catastrophic incident response
Through
the Campus Police Cadet Program, carefully screened students are employed to
act as additional eyes and ears for the university police. Cadets are on duty
from 7 p.m. until 12 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays
and 8 p.m. until 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, patrolling their assigned areas
and providing escort services to students walking across campus and to and from
parking lots. Following cadet duty hours, university police officers escort
students as needed. Cadets are also responsible for patrolling and securing
academic and administrative buildings on campus each evening.
Normally
there are a minimum of 35 cadets assigned to walking patrol and escorts during
the fall and spring semesters. For summers 12
cadets are the routine, primarily doing building lockup and security but who
are also available to provide escorts.
The
on-campus emergency number, 568-6911, directly connects any campus phone with
the university police department and should be used when fire, police or
medical response is required. This number is also published in the university
telephone directory, the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County telephone directory and
is printed on a sticker and attached to all residence hall student phones. From
the university police department, a network of speed-dialed lines provide
direct access to Harrisonburg/Rockingham Emergency Services for local and state
law enforcement, fire and rescue services. For information, escort services and
other non-emergencies, students and employees should dial 568-6913. The
on-campus number for parking concerns is 568-3300.
In
addition to a telephone in each student's room, there are 97 interior courtesy
telephones housed in light blue colored boxes, 90 Area of Rescue Assistance
(ARA) phones in stairwells and 120 outdoor
emergency ÒBlue LightÓ phones located across campus and at the main entrance of
each of the 34 residence halls. These telephones, housed in highly visible
yellow call boxes, feature one-button speed dialing for instant communication
with university police.
Campus
Emergencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568-6911
Information and non-emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . 568-6913
Parking Concerns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568-3300
Security in University Housing
Nearly
5,800 undergraduate students reside in 33 residence halls on the JMU
campus. Six of those located on the west-shore of Newman Lake are units
divided into 17 sub unit ÒhousesÓ, each with individual entrances.
All were former on-campus fraternities or are currently occupied by
sororities. All sororities are housed on-campus.
Eight sorority houses are located in three of the residence hall units with
four in one sub unit exclusively, three in another exclusively with the one
remaining in a sub unit shared with non sorority housing in the other subunits.
The nine remaining non sorority sub units are referred to as the ÒtreeÓ
houses due to their being designated by various common tree names. There
are no longer any fraternities located on campus. Freshmen are
required to live on campus, with the exception of day student commuters.
Upper-class students select residence hall assignments dependent upon
availability.
Off-campus
housing includes apartments, private homes, individual rooms or apartments
within private homes, and 12 off-campus
fraternity houses. The university does not provide supervision for
unaffiliated off-campus housing. It does provide supervision for the
leased Denton Apartments located in the center of Harrisonburg between
Court Square and North Liberty Street as well as the university owned
Rockingham Hall, the former Howard JohnsonÕs Motel, situated diagonally across
Interstate 81 from the Port Republic Road entrance to campus.
University
housing provides coeducational housing for such lifestyle options as first
year, upper class, substance-free, and international. Each residence hall has
set visitation hours which may be further reduced by a vote of the residents.
Guests must be escorted by a hall resident at all times. Overnight guests in
the residence halls must be of the same sex.
Access
to on-campus housing by university employees is on an "as needed"
basis and incorporates strict card key control procedures during hours of
restricted access. All university repair and maintenance personnel must be in
uniform or wear a JMU photo ID to allow for easy identification by residents.
Each
residence hall is staffed with a hall director and a number of resident
advisers (one per 30 to 45 students). These individuals, living in the halls
and on call 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. daily, are members of the university's
residence life staff and receive extensive training in the enforcement of
residence hall security policies.
All
residence hall doors accessing resident living areas remain locked 24 hours
daily, seven days a week. Unrestricted access to certain administrative, dining
service, public assembly, and meeting rooms in Chandler, Huffman, and
Frederikson Halls is permitted generally 7:30a.m. to 5:00p.m., weekdays.
Interior doors separating public access from residential room areas
remain locked at all times in these halls. Currently perimeter security to all
university-owned residence halls is maintained by automated card access.
The leased Denton Apartments feature mechanical key access. Some
rooms at Rockingham Hall feature direct exterior access while others are
accessed from a central interior corridor.
A
resident director or adviser is on duty each evening in the office at the main
entrance of each hall from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight Sunday through Thursday and
from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. the following morning Friday and Saturday. This
individual is in immediate telephone contact with university police, if
necessary. Following this desk assignment detail, the person on duty remains on
call, with the office phone transferred to his or her apartment or room.
All
residence halls and on-campus sororities are closed during Thanksgiving, Spring
Break and semester breaks. During low occupancy periods, such as the
summer terms, students remaining on campus are moved into one concentrated area
of the residence life complex to enhance security effectiveness. Be assured though that the University Police remain in
service during all breaks. Over extended breaks, the doors of all vacated
halls are secured from access by even the assigned residents by means of a
temporary programming change in the card access software.
Inspections
are conducted periodically by representatives from residence life, facilities
management, locksmiths shop, police and safety engineering to survey the
security integrity of university housing. In addition, a committee of students
meets monthly to discuss security concerns and to provide feedback to the
residence life staff. Repairs are made promptly, locks quickly replaced when
keys are lost or stolen, and reports of potential safety hazards, such as
broken windows, receive immediate response.
Greek
Life
Student
Affairs maintains contact with recognized fraternity and sorority organizations
through the efforts of the Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority (Greek)
Life. University police, though they may have jurisdiction in areas where
some of the twelve off-campus fraternities are
located (a thirteenth fraternity has non chapter ÒcolonyÓ status and no chapter
house on or off campus), do not routinely provide law enforcement services to
off-campus residences of recognized fraternities. Criminal activity at
recognized off-campus fraternity residences is monitored and recorded by the
Harrisonburg Police Department. Student Affairs, though its offices of
Judicial Affairs and Greek Life, and the JMU Police members enjoy a close working
relationship with the Harrisonburg Police Department, especially when
violations of federal, state or local laws surface. This cooperative team
approach addresses situations as they arise as well as future concerns.
JMU
is committed to work against the illicit use of drugs and alcohol among
students and employees. University police officers enforce all Virginia laws
and university policies concerning the purchase, possession, consumption, sale
and storage of alcoholic beverages and drugs, including the following:
á
Individuals must be 21 years of age to buy, possess or drink alcoholic
beverages.
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Alcoholic beverages may not be sold or furnished to any person who at
the time of sale or exchange is visibly under the influence of alcohol.
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Falsely representing one's age for the purpose of purchasing or
possessing alcohol is against state law.
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Drunkenness and possession of open containers of alcohol in public areas
are prohibited by law.
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The unlawful or unauthorized manufacture, distribution, dispensation,
possession or use of alcohol and other drugs in the work place is prohibited.
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Impairment in the work place from the use of alcohol or other drugs
(except the use of drugs for legitimate medical purposes) is prohibited.
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Alcoholic beverages may not be possessed, distributed or consumed at
events open to the general university community and held on university
property, except when specific written approval has been obtained for the event
in advance. Sponsors are responsible for assuring that all persons in
attendance at an event comply with state alcohol law and university alcohol
policy.
á
No student shall possess or distribute an illegal drug, as defined by
Virginia's Drug Control Act. Such possession or distribution is prohibited in
any building or on any property owned or operated by the university. Possession
is defined to include any area or property for which the student is responsible.
Convictions
for violations of these laws could result in fines, loss of driver's license
and imprisonment. University sanctions could include penalties ranging from
fines to suspension from the university.
Many
physical and psychological health risks are associated with the abuse of
alcohol and other substances, including the following:
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difficulty with attention and learning
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physical and psychological dependence
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damage to the brain, liver and heart
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unwanted sexual activity
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accidents due to impaired judgment and coordination
Staff
members at the JMU Health Center and the JMU Counseling and Student Development
Center can provide additional information about these concerns. More complete
information on JMU's substance abuse policy can be found in the section on
"University Policies."
University
Policy #1110 Addressing Substance Abuse - complies with relevant laws
related to the abuse of controlled substances and help provide for a healthy
and safe university community for employees, students, local community and
campus visitors. In addition, it is the intent of the University to offer
support and possible solutions to employees who are struggling with alcohol or
drug-related problems. This policy addresses standards of conduct that
clearly prohibit, at a minimum, the unlawful possession, use, or distribution
of illicit drugs and alcohol by employees in addition to students on the
institution's property or as part of any of the institution's activities; a
description of the applicable legal sanctions under local, state, or federal
law for the unlawful possession or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol; a
description of the health-risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and
the abuse of alcohol; a description of any drug or alcohol counseling,
treatment, or rehabilitation or re-entry programs that are available to
employees or students; and a clear statement that the institution will impose
sanctions on employees in addition to students (consistent with local, state,
and federal law), and a description of those sanctions, up to and including
expulsion or termination of employment and referral for prosecution, for
violations of the Commonwealth of VirginiaÕs standards of conduct.
This
policy is applicable to all employees of the university, whether classified or
non-classified, full- time or part-time salaried or hourly, and includes all
instructional and administrative & professional faculty.
For
further information including but not limited to prohibitions, rehabilitation
and sanctions one can go to http://www.jmu.edu/JMUpolicy/1110.shtml
within the universityÕs Manual of Policies and Procedures. University
employees with drug or alcohol problems are encouraged to seek counseling
assistance. Sanctions will be commensurate with the severity and/or frequency
of the offense and may include termination of employment.
From
the Student Handbook's Judicial Policies Section J14-101 Gambling: "No student shall illegally
wager or assist in the illegal wagering of money or any other thing of value on
any game or contest.Ó
From
the Counseling and Student Development Center: "Depending on the
assessment of a licensed professional, interventions may include sending the
student to a clinician with specialty in gambling addictions or to a
twelve-step program." Peer mentoring is always available where and when
appropriate. "The Counseling and Student Development Center is available
for students with gambling or other addictive or problematic habits to help
these students assess their concerns, identify relevant goals and interventions
and to assist with finding appropriate treatment and/or support
resources."
An
overview of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules applied and
enforced by the James Madison University Athletics Compliance Office are as follows. NCAA rules prohibit
sports gambling of any kind. In addition
to student-athletes this rule applies to:
Coaches
Support Staff
Equipment Managers
Student Managers
Athletic Administrators
Athletic Trainers
Student Trainers
Secretaries
What
does this mean? None of the aforementioned people may place any bet of any sort
on ANY COLLEGE OR PROFESSIONAL SPORTING EVENT. They may not give information to anyone who does place bets on college
or professional sports.
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No wagers on ANY professional or college sports event, even those that
do not involve James Madison University
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No participation in any activity that involves predictions of athletics
contests (radio, television, newspaper, etc.)
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No sports "pools", even those run by friends
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No internet gambling on sports events
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No sports wagering using "800" numbers
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No exchange of information about your team with ANYONE who gambles. This
means no information about injuries, new plays, team morale, discipline
problems or anything else.
The
consequences for violation of these rules are that the Student-Athlete will be
declared ineligible to compete in college sports. The JMU Student- Athletes are
informed that if they place bets of any kind on any college or professional
sport or if they give information to anyone who uses that information to make a
bet, they are at risk of being:
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Removed from their team
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Expelled from college
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Turned down for future jobs
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Sent to jail
Furthermore,
they are forewarned that sports wagering can destroy any future plans, dreams,
or hopes for themselves. Pretty strong words, but ones based on reality. For
this reason, college athletes, college athletic administrators, college
athletic staff members and conference staff officials may not gamble on college
or professional sporting events.
Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Programs
Through
a cooperative effort between public safety and the police crime prevention
coordinator, residence life, the campus health center and the affiliated
Associate Director for Sexual Assault Prevention,
the counseling center and the School of Health and Human Services, programs on
personal safety and security, rape prevention and response, date rape,
substance abuse, self-defense and resistance to burglary, larceny and vandalism
are conducted regularly throughout the school year.
Each
fall, in cooperation with Public SafetyÕs Crime Prevention Coordinator and the
Safety Engineer, residence life conducts a safety and security campaign,
distributing safety literature to each resident student and requiring all
residents to attend hall meetings on personal safety. Resident advisers in each
hall are required to offer a number of programs throughout the year to students
in their areas on varying topics of personal safety. At least one lock check
per semester is conducted late at night in each residence hall to ensure that
student room doors are properly secured. Operation ID, a program which provides
engraving and registration services for valuable personal property, is
conducted once each semester in residence halls and is available on an ongoing
basis through the Office of Public Safety.
In
addition to programming throughout the year, the university annually sponsors
Alcohol Awareness Week and Drug Awareness Week, two weeks devoted specifically
to alcohol and substance abuse prevention.
Through
these comprehensive awareness programs, members of the university community
learn more about the university's efforts to enhance their safety and become
aware of their personal stake in their own security and that of others. For a
list of the crime prevention and personal safety programs presented by various
offices of James Madison University in Academic year 2006-2007, go to the end
of this report.
Emergencies
Involving Students
For
emergencies involving students, the campus police call on the services of the
student affairs staff, including the JMU Counseling Center and the Sexual
Assault Prevention Office as well as the local
Victim/Witness Assistance Program when and where appropriate. The
Victim/Witness Assistance Program, established through a cooperative effort
between the commonwealth attorney's office, the campus police, Harrisonburg and
Rockingham County law enforcement agencies, state police, and the
Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board, is designed to lessen the
impact of criminal acts on the victims and witnesses of crimes and to ensure
that such individuals receive fair treatment while participating in the
criminal justice system. The campus police can arrange assistance by the victim/witness
coordinator and can also provide a handbook outlining what being a victim or
witness can mean and the agencies available to assist in criminal justice
procedures.
If
a member of the University Community has reason to believe that a student is
missing, whether or not the student resides on campus, all possible efforts are
made to locate the student to determine his or her state of health and
well-being through the collaboration of the University Police and the Office of
Student Affairs. If the student is an on-campus resident, the University Police
will secure authorization from Student Affairs officials to make a welfare
entry into the student's room. If an off-campus student resident, the
University Police will informally enlist the aid of the neighboring police
agency having jurisdiction. Concurrently university officials will endeavor to
determine the student's whereabouts through contact with friends, associates,
and/or employers of the student. Whether or not the student has been attending
classes, labs, recitals, and scheduled organizational or academic meetings; or
appearing for scheduled work shifts will be established.
If
located, verification of the student's state of health and intention of
returning to the campus is made. When and where appropriate a referral will be
made to the Office of Counseling and Student Development and/or the University
Health Center.
If
not located, notification of the family within 24 hours of receiving the
initial report is made to determine if they know of the whereabouts of the
student. If the student is an off-campus resident, appropriate family members
or associates are encouraged to make an official missing person report to the
law enforcement agency with jurisdiction. The University Police will cooperate,
aid, and assist the primary investigative agency in all ways prescribed by law.
The University Police Department is an active participant partnering in the
Rockingham County/Harrisonburg City/James Madison University Mutual Aid Compact.
If the student is an on-campus resident, the University Police will open an
official investigation and retain status as the primary investigative unit.
All
pertinent law enforcement agencies, be they neighboring municipal, county, or
state; those located along suspected travel corridors; or place of original
domicile, will be notified and requested to render assistance, through direct
telephone contact or visit, Virginia Crime Information Network (VCIN) message,
and/or radio transmission with a comprehensive BOL message based on the
totality of up-to date information.
Suzanne's
Law requiring local police to notify the
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) when someone between 18 and 21 is
reported missing was signed into law by President George W. Bush in the Spring
of 2003 as part of the national "Amber Alert" Bill http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:s.00151:.
The federal law is named after Suzanne Lyall, a State University of New York at
Albany student who has been missing since 1998.
Previously
police were only required to report missing persons under the age of 18. This
new law is intended to encourage police to begin investigating immediately when
college-age people disappear, instead of waiting a day, which has been a common
practice (the JMU Police have always initiated such investigations promptly).
Upon
closure of the missing person investigation, all parties previously contacted
will be advised of the status of the case.
The
JMU campus is well lighted and further improvements in campus lighting are
continually being made, including the placement of high-intensity metal halide
or sodium vapor lights on buildings, in parking lots, in areas with heavy
landscaping and along sidewalks and pathways frequently traveled by students.
Lighting
and shrubbery tours are conducted at least once an academic year by
representatives from all segments of the campus community, including student
government representatives, staff from Student Affairs, Facilities Management
and Public Safety. Safety and security concerns are identified and
recommendations for improvements made. In addition, the
university safety engineer makes regular
safety and health inspections, serves as a liaison with public health and
safety officials, schedules regular safety lectures and follows up on
recommendations with Locksmiths Shop and Facilities Management personnel.
JMU
students, faculty and staff have access to academic, recreational and
administrative facilities on campus. The general public may attend cultural and
recreational events on campus, with access limited to the facilities in which
these events are scheduled.
The
university's trespass policy, enforced by university police and posted in all
university housing, is as follows:
Only
those persons having legitimate business with James Madison University, members
of the university community and their invited guests, are permitted in this
building. The university reserves the right to exclude all persons not
conforming to acceptable behavior from these premises. Those who disregard this
warning are to be considered in violation of criminal trespass (under cited
Virginia code provisions) and are liable for prosecution.
University
police officers may serve verbal or written trespass notices on nonmembers of
the university community present on campus and may make immediate arrests of
persons in secure areas for which they have no legitimate business. If a person
served with a prior trespass notice reappears on campus, or if a person is
found in a posted facility with no legitimate purpose in that building, he or
she is subject to immediate arrest.
Firearms
and dangerous weapons of any type are not permitted in the residence halls or
other university facilities, except when carried by bonafide law enforcement
officers within their jurisdictions or as otherwise provided under Virginia and
federal law. Intentional use, possession or sale of firearms or other dangerous
weapons by students is strictly forbidden and is a violation of university
policy as stated in the student handbook. Provisions for storage of firearms
and other weapons such as hunting bows and arrows can be made with university
police for short-term purposes, such as hunting off campus in approved areas.
Strict sign-in and sign-out procedures are followed.
Crime
Log information appears on the University Police website http://www.jmu.edu/pubsafety/index.shtml
and can be accessed by scrolling down to links for Daily Police Crime Log
report summaries monthly from October 1998 to present. For those not having
access to the Daily Police Crime Log through the internet, the University
Police will make the hard copy Crime and Arrest Logs for the most recent 60 day
period open to public inspection during normal business hours, Monday through
Friday, excepting holidays and closure of school. The University Police
maintain a computer station kiosk 24/7 in the dispatcher reception lobby of the
police station with access limited to http://www.jmu.edu/pubsafety/index.shtml
plus all links including the Crime Log at http://www.jmu.edu/pubsafety/DailyCrimeLog.shtml.
Any portion of the log beyond 60 days, if not immediately available, will be
made accessible within two business days of a request for public inspection.
The only exceptions in the posting of crimes reported and/or investigated
are:
á
If the disclosure is prohibited by law, or
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If the disclosure would jeopardize the confidentiality of the victim.
Posting
of crimes reported and/or investigated may be temporarily withheld in some
cases if the release of information would:
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Jeopardize an ongoing investigation,
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Jeopardize the safety of an individual,
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Cause a suspect to flee or evade detection, or
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Result in the destruction of evidence.
The
information temporarily withheld from the log for any of the aforementioned
justifications will be posted once the possibility of adverse or harmful effects
are no longer likely to occur.
The
university community is also kept aware of selected reported incidents on
campus and in the nearby community through the semiweekly student newspaper, The
Breeze in the publication's semi-weekly
"Police Log" section. The police reporter from The
Breeze contacts representatives from the
university police, the Harrisonburg Police Department and the local court
system prior to the printing of each issue to review all case activities since
the previous issue. As the University Police Department has no editorial
control over what eventually appears in The Breeze "Police Log" the complete
Crime Log as supplied to The Breeze
reporters usually is incomplete due to the editorsÕ selective omissions.
In
the event that a situation arises, either on or off campus, that, in the
judgment of the Chief of University Police, constitutes an ongoing or
continuing threat, a campus wide Òtimely warningÓ will be issued. The warning
will be issued by means of various rapid response state-of-the-art
mass-communication technologies to students, faculty and staff:
¤
ÒBlastÓ bulk e-mailings originating from the Public
Safety Office to all student and employee e-mail accounts in text message,*
¤
companion posters sent to various residence life
listservs and other address book listings as attachments,
¤
AM 1600 low power radio system receivable on all
personal and car radios on the commercial AM band,
¤
wireless text messaging to those who opt for the free
service (contract effective August 1, 2007) and
¤
blast siren alert horns with follow-up instructional
and awareness voice messaging for exterior areas of the 500 acre core campus
(contract effective August 17, 2007).
Of
course other broad coverage rapid alert technologies will be explored once they
become available and proven. Go to: http://www.jmu.edu/pubsafety/EmergencyProceduresPoster.pdf
for more detailed information on the
official JMU mass communication systems.
The
semiweekly student newspaper, The Breeze
is not a reliable source for ÒTimely WarningsÓ due to editorial prerogative and
the fact that it is published on Mondays and Thursdays only.
Depending
on the particular circumstances of the crime, especially in situations that
could pose an immediate threat to the community and individuals, the Office of
Public Safety may also post a notice on the campus-wide electronic bulletin
board at the University Police web site: http://www.jmu.edu/pubsafety/IncidentListings.shtml,
providing the university community with more immediate notification. In such
instances, a copy of the notice is posted in each residence hall, at the front
door of each on-campus fraternity and sorority house, and in the Center
for Off-Campus Living. The electronic bulletin board is immediately accessible
via computer by all faculty, staff and students. Anyone with information
warranting a timely warning should report the circumstances to the University
Police office, by phone (568-6911) or in person at the dispatch center within
Public Safety, Anthony-Seeger Hall, the southwest corner of West Grace and South
Main Streets. Timely Warnings of situations that may pose a threat
to others are generated from reports made to Campus Security Authorities as identified by JMU, the University Police and/or
the local police agencies having concurrent jurisdiction (See the section
on Campus Security Authorities).
*There is absolutely NO THIRD PARTY DELAY in the
sending of the message to all e-mail accounts since no prior authorization
outside of the Office of Public Safety is required. Once the message is sent by one of the designated Public
Safety information technicians, the only delay may be with the servers; up to
45 minutes with employees, up to 90 minutes with students; due primarily to the
number of accounts.
Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, Sex
Offender Registry and Access to Related Information as amended
effective July 1, 2006*
Incarceration
may remove a sex offender from the streets but it does nothing to prevent the
offender from committing another crime when released.
The federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act (CSCPA), enacted on October 28, 2000, went into effect October 28, 2002. The law requires institutions of higher education to issue a statement advising the campus community where law enforcement agency information provided by a State, concerning registered sex offenders, may be obtained. It also mandates that sex offenders, already required to register in a state, to provide notice, as required under State law, of each institution of higher education in that state at which the person is employed, carries on a vocation, volunteers services or is a student. States are under an obligation to advise registrants of these requirements and establish procedures to do so. States are also obligated to notify institutions if a registered sex
offender is employed, carries on a vocation, volunteers services or is a student (not all do though – thankfully Virginia does and has been doing so since 2004).
The CSCPA amended the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act, the Jeanne Clery Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. The CSCPA covers not only individuals actually employed BY an institution, but also those who are employed AT an institution such as third party contractors (food service, custodial, etc.) through outsourcing.
In
the Commonwealth of Virginia convicted sex offenders must register with the Sex
Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry.
The Registry was established pursuant to ¤ 19.2-390.1
of the Commonwealth's Crimes Code. Every person convicted on or after July 1,
1997, including juveniles tried and convicted in the circuit courts pursuant to
¤ 16.1-269.1,
whether sentenced as adults or juveniles, of an offense for which registration
is required shall be required as a part of the sentence imposed upon conviction
to register and reregister with the Commonwealth's Department of State Police
as provided by the law.
In
addition all persons convicted of violations under the laws of the United
States, any other state, foreign country or political subdivision thereof
(effective 7/1/06) substantially similar to an
offense for which registration is required shall provide to the local agency all
necessary information for inclusion in the State Police Registry within three
(3) days (effective 7/1/06) of establishing a residence within the
Commonwealth. Any person required to register shall also be
required to reregister within three (3) days (effective
7/1/06) following any change of residence, whether within or
without the Commonwealth. Prior to July 1, 2006 registration and
re-registration was within ten (10) days. Three (3) days is not much
time, especially when you realize that it is only 72 hours!
Nonresident
offenders entering the Commonwealth for employment, to carry on a vocation,
volunteer services or as a student attending school who are required to
register in their state of residence or who would be required to register under
this section if a resident of the Commonwealth shall, within three (3) days (effective 7/1/06) of accepting employment or
enrolling in school in the Commonwealth, be required to register and reregister
pursuant to the law. For purposes of this section "student" means a
person who is enrolled on a full-time or part- time basis, in any public or
private educational institution, including any secondary school, trade or
professional institution, or institution of higher education.
Effective July 1, 2006 Public and private two- and four-year institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia are required to electronically transmit information about applicants accepted for enrollment at each institution to the State Police for comparison with the Virginia Criminal Information Network and National Crime Information Center Convicted Sexual Offender Registry.
Information
concerning offenders registered with the Sex Offender and Crimes Against
Minors Registry may be disclosed to any
person requesting information on a specific individual in accordance with the
law. Information regarding a specific person requested pursuant to the law
shall be disseminated upon receipt of an official request form that may be
submitted directly to the Commonwealth's Department of State Police or to the
State Police through a local law-enforcement agency. The Department of State
Police shall make Registry information available, upon request, to criminal
justice agencies including local law-enforcement agencies through the Virginia
Criminal Information Network (VCIN). Registry information provided under this
section shall be used for the purposes of the administration of criminal
justice, for the screening of current or prospective employees or volunteers or
otherwise for the protection of the public in general and children in
particular. Use of the information for purposes not authorized by
this section is prohibited and a willful violation of this section with the
intent to harass or intimidate another shall be punished as a Class 1
misdemeanor.
The
Commonwealth's State Police maintains a system for making certain Registry
information on possessors of child pornography, sex offenders (effective
7/1/06), violent sex offenders and persons convicted of murdering a minor child
(effective 7/1/06) publicly available by
means of the Internet. The information made available includes the offender's
name; all aliases that he/she has used or under which he may have been known;
the date and locality of the conviction and a brief description of the offense;
his/her date of birth, current address and photograph; and such other
information as the State Police may from time to time determine is necessary to
preserve public safety. The system is secure and is not capable of being
altered except by or through the State Police. The system is updated each
business day with newly received registrations and re-registrations.
The
new pertinent web site address for securing related information in the
Commonwealth of Virginia is now: http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/index.htm.
For
the neighboring West Virginia site go to: http://www.wvstatepolice.com/sexoff
The
National Sex Offender Registry Web site maintained by the U.S. Department of
Justice is found at http://www.nsopr.gov/.
Also
PublicData.com <http://www.PublicData.com/>
is providing one-click search of sex offender databases in: Alabama, Alaska,
Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New
Mexico, New York, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West
Virginia and Wyoming for free. Once in PublicData.com
click on link "Click here for FREE SexOffender
searches" <http://www.criminalcheck.com/>.
If you do not get into PublicData.com
click on the ÒRefreshÓ icon in the tool bar.
The
JMU Office of Residence Life Housing Contract provides for the cancellation of
the housing contract of a sex offender, or any other convicted person, who is
disruptive to the educational environment of the residence hall.
Federal
laws governing the privacy of education records (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA for short) do not prevent campus security
agencies or other administrators from disclosing information concerning
registered sex offenders enrolled at, employed by JMU or by outside contractors
with operations on the JMU campus. FERPA has been so amended to make that clarification.
*First offense child pornography possession and burglary with the intent to commit certain felony sex offenses are now Registry offenses if committed after July 1, 2006. Criminal homicide in conjunction with child abuse is now a registrable offense. The sex offender website includes persons convicted of all registrable sex offenses not just persons convicted of violent sex offenses. The legislation modified the registration of a person convicted of murdering a child; registration is now required if the victim is under 15 years of age and if the minor victim is 15 or older and the murder is related to a registrable offense. Persons convicted in a foreign country are now be required to register. Offenders now have three days to register or reregister after an address change rather than the former 10 and have to reregister for any employment change. Sex offenders moving into the Commonwealth now have three days to register instead of 10, as do nonresident visitors, workers and college students who are subject to registration requirementsÉ
ÉPersons who have to register for murder of a minor are now required to reregister every 90 days, the same as a violent sex offender. In addition, when a sex offender is convicted of failing to register, he/she is now required to reregister more frequently (violent sex offenders monthly instead of every 90 days and sex offenders 180 days instead of the former 12 months). The duration of registration for sex offenders who have been convicted of failing to register is now extended as they are no longer be permitted to get off of the registry in 10 years from the date of registration, but instead the requirement is now 10 years from the date of their last conviction for failing to register. In addition, murder of a minor now requires lifetime registration.
Sex offenders convicted of failing to register are no longer permitted to petition for relief for three years from the date of registration, but now must wait to petition five years from the date of their last conviction for failure to register.
The legislation also made a second or subsequent conviction for failing to register as a sex offender a Class 6 felony and now requires GPS monitoring making a second or subsequent conviction of failing to register as a violent sex offender or murderer a Class 5 felony and requiring mandatory GPS monitoring...
ÉAn offender will be required to submit to having a DNA sample taken (if not already taken) and to being photographed by a law-enforcement agency every two years.
Failure to register is was added to the offenses for which conviction bars loitering within 100 feet of a school. Persons convicted of such offenses after July 1, 2006, are also be prohibited from loitering within 100 feet of a child day program. Persons convicted of certain sex offenses are now prohibited from working or volunteering on the grounds of a school or day care center and are now prohibited from residing within 500 feet of a school or day care centerÉ
Public and private two- and four-year institutions of higher education are required to electronically transmit information about applicants accepted for enrollment at each institution to the State Police for comparison with the Virginia Criminal Information Network and National Crime Information Center Convicted Sexual Offender RegistryÉ
...The Department of Criminal Justice Services is required to advise and initiate training standards for criminal justice agencies and state, local and regional employees who work with the Registry.
Sexual
Assault Prevention and Response
Prevention,
intervention and education programs specifically addressing rape, acquaintance
rape and other sexual offenses are regularly sponsored by a variety of
organizations at JMU. The JMU Health Center, Sexual Assault Prevention Office,
Counseling
and Student Development Center, Women's Resource Center, and C.A.R.E. (Campus
Assault Response Emergency hot line - a student organization) present programs
throughout the year in classes, residence halls and student organizations.
Programs on sexual assault occur at least once each semester in all residence
halls and the topic is addressed at freshman orientation.
If
a sexual offense should occur, the victim should take the following actions:
á
Go to a safe place.
á
Call the campus police if the incident occurred on campus; call the
local police if it occurred off campus. The police will then contact the
Counseling and Student Development Center.
á
Contact a friend or family member.
á
Do not shower, bathe, or douche.
á
Do not urinate, if possible.
á
Do not eat, drink liquids, smoke or brush teeth if oral contact took
place.
á Keep the clothes worn during the offense. If clothes are changed, place cl