Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act
The “Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act” (Section 1601 of Public Law 106-386) is
a federal law enacted on October 28, 2000, that provides for the tracking of
convicted, registered sex offenders enrolled as students at institutions of
higher education, working or volunteering on campus.
The Act amends the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually
Violent Offender Registration Act to require 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, or is a student. It also requires that state procedures ensure
that this registration information is promptly made available to law
enforcement agencies with jurisdiction where the institutions of higher
education are located and that it is entered into appropriate state records or
data systems. These changes took effect October 28, 2002. These requirements
are tied to state eligibility for certain types of federal grant funding and
must be implemented through state law.
It also amends the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and
Campus Crime Statistics Act to require institutions of higher education to
issue a statement, in addition to other disclosures required under the Act,
advising the campus community where law enforcement agency information
provided by the State concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained.
These changes took effect October 28, 2002, and this notice will be a
requirement beginning with the annual security report due October 1, 2003.
Lastly, the Act amends the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
to clarify that nothing in that Act may be construed to prohibit an
educational institution from disclosing information provided to the
institution concerning registered sex offenders; and requires the Secretary
of Education to take appropriate steps to notify educational institutions
that disclosure of this information is permitted. This amendment took effect
on October 28, 2000.
Even though this information will be posted at different locations on
our campuses, instructors should make it available to their students.