11 Facts About Hate Crimes

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1. A “hate crime” is targeted criminal activity, usually motivated by prejudice based on perceived personal characteristics of the victims. These motivations may include race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.^["Hate Crimes." The University of Louisiana at Monroe ULM. http://www.ulm.edu/police/hate-crimes (accessed July 23, 2014).]
2. In the US 6,222 hate crime incidents involving 7,254 offenses were reported in 2011.^[F.BI. "Annual Report Released." FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/december/annual-hate-crimes-report-released/annual-hate-crimes-report-released (accessed July 21, 2014).]
3. Out of 6,216 crimes reported: 47% were racially motivated, 21% resulted from sexual-orientation bias, 20% were motivated by religious bias,12% stemmed from ethnicity/national origin bias, and less than 1% (0.9%) was prompted by disability bias.^[F.BI. "Annual Report Released." FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/december/annual-hate-crimes-report-released/annual-hate-crimes-report-released (accessed July 21, 2014).]
4. At least 8 black people, 3 white people, 3 gay people, 3 Jewish people, and 1 Latino person become hate crime victims every day. Host a poetry slam to start a discussion about racism. Sign up for Mic Check Racism .^["Tolerance for Teens." — National Crime Prevention Council. http://www.ncpc.org/topics/hate-crime/tolerance (accessed July 23, 2014).]
5. Every hour in the United States somebody commits a hate crime.^["Tolerance for Teens." — National Crime Prevention Council. http://www.ncpc.org/topics/hate-crime/tolerance (accessed July 23, 2014).]
6. Half of all the hate crimes in the nation are committed by people between the ages of 15 and 24.^["Tolerance for Teens." — National Crime Prevention Council. http://www.ncpc.org/topics/hate-crime/tolerance (accessed July 23, 2014).]
7. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 gives the FBI authority to investigate violent hate crimes, including violence directed at the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.^[FBI. "Matthew Shepard/James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009." FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes/shepard-byrd-act-brochure (accessed July 23, 2014).]
8. Hate crimes stem from a learned behavior of hatred. Inherent hate for a whole group of people for no particular reason other than one's own bias is not something people are born with.^["College Police." Reporting Hate Crimes. http://www.napavalley.edu/StudentServices/Police/Pages/ReportingHateCrimes.aspx (accessed July 23, 2014).]
9. Every week a cross is burned somewhere.^["Tolerance for Teens." — National Crime Prevention Council. http://www.ncpc.org/topics/hate-crime/tolerance (accessed July 23, 2014).]
10. 41 states and the District of Columbia have laws against hate crimes.^["Study of Literature and Legislation on Hate Crime in America ." NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/210300.pdf (accessed July 23, 2014).]
11. Hate crimes simultaneously victimize a specific individual and members of the group at large.^["The Psychology of Hate Crimes." American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/violence/hate-crimes-faq.pdf (accessed July 23, 2014).]