Accountability
DOJ: Rising number of police departments are declining to report hate crimes
A rising number of law enforcement agencies are opting not to share statistics about hate crimes with the FBI, at a time where hate crimes are skyrocketing, according to U.S. Justice Department numbers.
The decline in reporting hurts efforts to accurately document violence against Asian Americans, Black Americans, and LGBTQ+ people, advocates and DOJ officials say.
The number of police agencies participating in the FBI’s hate crimes report declined in 2020, the third straight year of decreases. About 88% of cities don’t report hate crimes data.
Last week, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke told the Senate Judiciary Committee that more than 60% of reported hate crimes were motivated by race and ethnicity. Of those, more than half targeted Black Americans.
“This lack of accurate hate crimes data not only makes it harder for law enforcement to address and prevent hate crimes, but also can cause individuals and communities victimized by acts of hate to believe that law enforcement agencies are not responding to their experiences,” Clarke testified. “Accurate and complete data reporting is needed to ensure that resources deployed match the most pressing needs in our communities.”
In September, Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “preventing and responding to hate crimes was among the Justice Department’s top priorities.”
“These hate crimes and other bias-related incidents instill fear across entire communities and undermine the principles upon which our democracy stands,” he said. “All people in this country should be able to live without fear of being attacked or harassed because of where they are from, what they look like, whom they love or how they worship.”
Terry A. Hurlbut has been a student of politics, philosophy, and science for more than 35 years. He is a graduate of Yale College and has served as a physician-level laboratory administrator in a 250-bed community hospital. He also is a serious student of the Bible, is conversant in its two primary original languages, and has followed the creation-science movement closely since 1993.
-
Civilization5 days ago
New Jersey and beyond – next Trump targets
-
Executive3 days ago
Peter Daszak finally gets his!
-
Constitution4 days ago
Court Hasn’t Yet Crippled Trump’s Lead Over Biden
-
Education4 days ago
Long Live America!
-
Education5 days ago
To Change the World, Protest Less, Study More
-
Guest Columns5 days ago
No Going Back
-
Executive3 days ago
Toxic Atmosphere at FDIC Spurs Calls for Chair’s Resignation
-
Civilization3 days ago
Racism That Once Was, Is No More