Crime alert for sexual assault report at Cochrane Hall

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

• Sourcepresent25/25

  Final assessment

  All 25 agree (1): The "Virginia Tech Police Department" is identified as the alerting agency.

  Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: The "Virginia Tech Police Department" is identified as the alerting agency.
  2. present: Because the Virginia Tech Police Department is named as the issuing source.
  3. present: Checklist confirms the Virginia Tech Police Department is named as the issuing source.
  4. present: The notice clearly comes from the Virginia Tech Police Department.
  5. present: The disclosure is attributed to the Virginia Tech Police Department as the issuing authority.
  6. present: Virginia Tech Police Department issued the sexual assault notice after the Saturday report.
  7. present: VTPD source line, campus police as issuer.
  8. present: Virginia Tech Police Department is the agency listed as receiving the report and issuing this notice.
  9. present: "Virginia Tech Police Department" is named as the issuing agency so the source is present.
  10. present: Rereading the header, the Virginia Tech Police Department remains the stated source.
  11. present: Source is solid: Virginia Tech Police Department is named as the reporting and issuing body.
  12. present: The Virginia Tech Police Department is stated as the agency that received the report.
  13. present: The alert is expressly attributed to the Virginia Tech Police Department as the receiving and issuing law enforcement source.
  14. present: VTPD issues report based campus crime alert.
  15. present: The Virginia Tech Police Department is again the named source of the timely crime communication.
  16. present: Virginia Tech Police Department is clearly named as the source.
  17. present: The text identifies the Virginia Tech Police Department as the reporting agency, so a source is present.
  18. present: Present because the Virginia Tech Police Department issued this campus crime notice.
  19. present: Source is the Virginia Tech Police Department as named at the start of the alert.
  20. present: Virginia Tech Police Department is given as the sender so the source is present whereas without that header the alert would lack an issuing body.
  21. present: Virginia Tech Police Department issues this alert and anchors official campus police authorship.
  22. present: The Virginia Tech Police Department is identified as the receiving agency for the report.
  23. present: The alert identifies the Virginia Tech Police Department as the issuing authority for the report.
  24. present: Recipients can see the Virginia Tech Police Department is identified as the alerting police source.
  25. present: The notice identifies the Virginia Tech Police Department as the issuing agency.
• Hazardpresent25/25

  Final assessment

  All 25 agree (1): A reported "sexual assault" meeting elements of "Rape" and "Object sexual penetration" under Virginia Code.

  What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: A reported "sexual assault" meeting elements of "Rape" and "Object sexual penetration" under Virginia Code.
  2. present: Since the reported crime meets elements of rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code.
  3. present: Hazard is identified as sexual assault with cited elements of rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code.
  4. present: It reports a sexual assault that meets rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia law.
  5. present: The report identifies sexual assault meeting the statutory elements of rape and object sexual penetration.
  6. present: Police say the facts satisfy rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia statutes.
  7. present: sexual assault coded as rape plus object sexual penetration.
  8. present: Virginia Tech Police Department reports a sexual assault meeting the elements of rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code.
  9. present: "sexual assault" with rape and object sexual penetration name the hazard.
  10. present: On a second pass the hazard still reads as rape and object sexual penetration under the cited Virginia statutes.
  11. present: Rape and object sexual penetration are listed as the reported offense elements meeting Virginia Code definitions.
  12. present: The alert reports a sexual assault meeting the elements of rape and object sexual penetration.
  13. present: The hazard is a reported sexual assault that, as stated, meets the elements of rape under Virginia Code 18.2-61 and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code 18.2-67.2.
  14. present: Rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia code.
  15. present: As reported, the hazard includes rape and object sexual penetration as defined in Virginia Code.
  16. present: They report a sexual assault that they say meets rape and object sexual penetration under the code.
  17. present: The text reports a sexual assault and specifies rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code, so a hazard is present.
  18. present: Present because the report describes sexual assault meeting rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia law.
  19. present: Hazard is rape and object sexual penetration as the alert states those Virginia Code elements for a reported sexual assault.
  20. present: Sexual assault meeting rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code names the hazard whereas without those offense elements readers would not know the crime.
  21. present: Alert reports sexual assault that meets rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code.
  22. present: Sexual assault is detailed as rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code.
  23. present: The alert describes a sexual assault meeting elements of rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code.
  24. present: Recipients are informed of a reported sexual assault meeting elements of rape and object sexual penetration under Virginia Code.
  25. present: The alert states a sexual assault meeting rape and object sexual penetration elements.
• Locationpresent25/25

  Final assessment

  All 25 agree (1): The incident occurred at "Cochrane Hall (770 Washington Street)".

  Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: The incident occurred at "Cochrane Hall (770 Washington Street)".
  2. present: Because the incident occurred at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  3. present: Location is specified as Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  4. present: The incident is placed at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  5. present: The incident is fixed at Cochrane Hall, 770 Washington Street.
  6. present: The offense is tied to Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  7. present: Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  8. present: Virginia Tech Police Department places the incident at Cochrane Hall, 770 Washington Street.
  9. present: "Cochrane Hall (770 Washington Street)" states where the incident occurred.
  10. present: Looking twice, the location is still Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  11. present: Cochrane Hall with address 770 Washington Street fully places the incident on the campus map.
  12. present: The incident occurred at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  13. present: The incident is placed at Cochrane Hall, 770 Washington Street.
  14. present: Cochrane Hall 770 Washington Street.
  15. present: The location given is Cochrane Hall, 770 Washington Street.
  16. present: It happened at Cochrane Hall on 770 Washington Street.
  17. present: The text sets the incident at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street, so a location is present.
  18. present: Present because the incident is placed at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  19. present: Location is Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street where the alert says the incident occurred.
  20. present: Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street places the incident whereas without that building and street the location would be missing.
  21. present: Incident occurs at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  22. present: The incident is sited at Cochrane Hall, 770 Washington Street.
  23. present: The alert places the incident at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
  24. present: Recipients are given a clear site at Cochrane Hall, 770 Washington Street.
  25. present: The report notes the incident occurred at Cochrane Hall at 770 Washington Street.
• Guidanceabsent0/25

  Final assessment

  All 25 agree (0): No action guidance for recipients appears, only that details are "limited to protect" the survivor.

  The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. absent: No action guidance for recipients appears, only that details are "limited to protect" the survivor.
  2. absent: Since the notice prioritizes survivor privacy and does not instruct recipients on protective steps.
  3. absent: No actionable guidance is provided to recipients on protective steps or reporting channels.
  4. absent: Readers are not told what actions to take or how to stay safe.
  5. absent: The text supplies no recipient-directed safety instructions or reporting actions.
  6. absent: Recipients receive no recommended precautions or response instructions in the text.
  7. absent: no recipient action steps, only privacy limit note.
  8. absent: Virginia Tech Police Department supplies no recipient instructions on reporting tips, sheltering, or other protective steps.
  9. absent: "protect the identity, privacy, and rights of the survivor" is disclosure policy only and gives recipients no action steps so guidance is absent.
  10. absent: A skeptical recheck still finds no recipient-facing advice, only a note that disclosure is limited for privacy.
  11. absent: The message lacks call-to-action guidance for community members and stays in after-action disclosure form.
  12. absent: No direction is offered to recipients about how to stay safe or seek help.
  13. absent: Information is limited to protect survivor identity, privacy, and rights, without operational guidance for general recipients.
  14. absent: No protective guidance only survivor privacy note.
  15. absent: The message offers no recipient-directed protective steps, only a privacy rationale for limited disclosure.
  16. absent: No guidance shows up telling campus what to do next.
  17. absent: The text never tells recipients how to respond or stay safe, so guidance is absent.
  18. absent: Absent because the notice offers no protective steps or actions for recipients to take.
  19. absent: Guidance is absent because the alert only limits disclosure for survivor privacy and gives no protective steps for recipients.
  20. absent: No recipient actions such as call numbers or avoid-area advice appear so guidance is absent whereas present guidance would define what people should do.
  21. absent: Text omits recipient safety steps and only limits disclosure to protect survivor privacy.
  22. absent: Recipients are not told to take any protective action; only limited disclosure for privacy is noted.
  23. absent: The alert gives no instructions or recommended actions for recipients to take.
  24. absent: Recipients get no action guidance, only a statement that information is limited to protect the survivor.
  25. absent: The message gives no protective instructions or calls to action for recipients.
• Timepresent25/25

  Final assessment

  All 25 agree (1): It occurred in the "early hours of Jan. 24, 2026" and was reported on "Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026".

  When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: It occurred in the "early hours of Jan. 24, 2026" and was reported on "Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026".
  2. present: Because the report arrived Saturday Jan. 24, 2026 for an incident in the early hours of that same day.
  3. present: Report date of Jan. 24, 2026 and incident timing in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026 are both stated.
  4. present: The assault happened in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026, and police got the report that same Saturday.
  5. present: The incident is placed in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026, with the report received the same calendar day.
  6. present: The report was filed on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, for an early morning incident that same day.
  7. present: incident early hrs 24 Jan 2026, report same day 24 Jan 2026.
  8. present: Virginia Tech Police Department received the report on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, for an incident in the early hours of that same day.
  9. present: "early hours of Jan. 24, 2026" and the Saturday report date supply when it happened and was reported.
  10. present: Double-checking, both the report and the incident fall on early hours of Jan. 24, 2026, with a side note about an unrelated 8:20 a.m. alert that day.
  11. present: Early hours of Jan. 24, 2026 are given for the incident, matching the same-day report window.
  12. present: The assault is placed in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026, with the report received that same Saturday.
  13. present: The department received the report on Saturday, January 24, 2026, for an incident in the early hours of January 24, 2026, and states the matter is unrelated to a separate crime alert issued on January 24, 2026, around 8:20 a.m.
  14. present: Report Jan 24 2026 incident early hours same day.
  15. present: Police received the report on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, for an incident in the early hours of that same day.
  16. present: Police got the report on January 24, 2026 and the incident was in the early hours that same day.
  17. present: The text dates both the report and the incident to Jan. 24, 2026 in the early hours, so time is present.
  18. present: Present because the assault is timed to the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026 and the report to Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.
  19. present: Time is the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026 for the incident with the report received on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.
  20. present: Report on Saturday Jan. 24, 2026 and incident in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026 mark the timeline whereas without those dates the when would be unknown.
  21. present: Assault happens in the early hours of Jan. 24 2026 and police receive the report the same day.
  22. present: The report is dated Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, and the incident is placed in the early hours of that same day.
  23. present: The alert states the incident occurred in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026, and was reported on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.
  24. present: Recipients learn the incident was in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026, and reported that same Saturday.
  25. present: The notice shows the assault happened in the early hours of Jan. 24, 2026, and was reported that same day.
• Impactpresent15/25

  Final assessment

  Majority 15/25 codes 1: They "met each other earlier in the night," the offender is a "Virginia Tech student," and this is "not related to the crime alert issued on 1/24/26."

  What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

  See all 25 individual reads

  1. present: They "met each other earlier in the night," the offender is a "Virginia Tech student," and this is "not related to the crime alert issued on 1/24/26."
  2. present: Since the parties met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, and the case is unrelated to another same day alert.
  3. absent: Beyond naming the offenses, the alert does not describe broader community impact or operational effects.
  4. present: The people involved had only met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, and this case is separate from another alert that morning.
  5. absent: Beyond naming the offenses, the notice states no separate consequence, severity, or harm language.
  6. present: The offender is a Virginia Tech student who met the survivor earlier that night, and the case is unrelated to a separate morning alert.
  7. present: met earlier that night, offender VT student, noted not related to other 1/24 alert.
  8. present: Virginia Tech Police Department states the parties met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, the case is unrelated to another 1/24/26 alert, and details are limited to protect the survivor.
  9. absent: "met each other earlier in the night" adds relationship context but no injuries, disruption, or other effects beyond the hazard name so impact is absent.
  10. absent: Even after a second look, impact beyond the offense names is still missing, aside from saying this case is unrelated to another alert.
  11. absent: Aside from offense classification and a cross-alert disambiguation note, no distinct impact effects are stated.
  12. absent: Aside from naming the offenses, the alert does not detail injuries, closures, or other broader effects.
  13. present: The survivor and offender met earlier that night, and the offender is identified as a Virginia Tech student.
  14. present: Met earlier that night VT student offender privacy limited.
  15. present: The parties met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, and the case is stated as unrelated to a prior alert that morning.
  16. absent: They say the two met earlier that night and note it is unrelated to another alert, but that is not extra impact past the crime labels.
  17. absent: The text states no harms or operational effects beyond the listed offenses, so impact is absent.
  18. absent: Absent because no community wide effects, injuries, or other consequences beyond the named offenses are described.
  19. present: Impact is that the parties met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, and the case is unrelated to the other 1/24/26 crime alert.
  20. present: Parties meeting earlier that night, the offender being a Virginia Tech student, and a note the case is unrelated to another 1/24/26 alert add impact beyond the hazard name whereas without those extras only the offense label would stand.
  21. present: Parties meet earlier that night, the offender attends Virginia Tech, and the alert separates this case from another same-day notice.
  22. absent: A same-night meeting and student status are described, but no consequences beyond the offense labels are given.
  23. present: The alert notes the parties met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, and this case is unrelated to another crime alert issued that morning.
  24. present: Recipients are told the parties met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, and this case is not related to another 1/24/26 alert.
  25. present: The alert notes the parties met earlier that night, the offender is a Virginia Tech student, and the case is unrelated to a prior same day alert.