WUNRN
http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/law0000037
CONCEALING CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT: AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION
Yung, Corey Rayburn
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, Vol 21(1), Feb 2015, 1-9.
Direct Link to Full 9-Page 2015 Study Document: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/law-0000037.pdf
This study tests
whether there is substantial undercounting of sexual assault by universities.
It compares the sexual assault data submitted by universities while being
audited for Clery Act violations with the data from years before and after such
audits. If schools report higher rates of sexual assault during times of higher
regulatory scrutiny (audits), then that result would support the conclusion
that universities are failing to accurately tally incidents of sexual assault
during other time periods. The study finds that university reports of sexual
assault increase by approximately 44% during the audit period. After the audit
is completed, the reported sexual assault rates drop to levels statistically
indistinguishable from the pre-audit time frame. The results are consistent
with the hypothesis that the ordinary practice of universities is to undercount
incidents of sexual assault. Only during periods in which schools are audited
do they appear to offer a more complete picture of sexual assault levels on
campus. Further, the data indicate that the audits have no long-term effect on
the reported levels of sexual assault, as those crime rates return to previous
levels after the audit is completed. This last finding is supported even in
instances when fines are issued for noncompliance. The study tests for a
similar result with the tracked crimes of aggravated assault, robbery, and
burglary, but reported crimes show no statistically significant differences
before, during, or after audits. The results of the study point toward 2
broader conclusions directly relevant to policymaking in this area. First,
greater financial and personnel resources should be allocated commensurate with
the severity of the problem and not based solely on university reports of
sexual assault levels. Second, the frequency of auditing should be increased,
and statutorily capped fines should be raised to deter transgressors from
continuing to undercount sexual violence. The Campus Accountability and Safety
Act, presently before Congress, provides an important step in that direction.
(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).