NCJ Number
226793
Date Published
June 2007
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This annual report presents data on reported crimes motivated by bias ("hate crimes") in Tennessee for 2006.
Abstract
"Hate crimes" pertain to law violations that are motivated by hostility toward the victims because of their race, religion, ethnicity/nationality, sexual orientation, or disability. Cases where bias is evident but is not specific are coded as "unknown" but are still counted as "hate crimes" in agency statistics. Total hate crimes in Tennessee decreased by 16.3 percent from 2005 (417) to 2006 (349). Religiously motivated crimes increased by 90.5 percent from 2005 (21) to 2006 (40) and increased 166.7 percent from 2004 (15) to 2006 (40). Hate crimes that targeted victims for their perceived sexual orientation increased 185.7 percent from 2005 (21) to 2006 (60), and 160.9 percent from 2004 (23) to 2006 (60). "Unknown" bias-motivated offenses decreased by 61.6 percent from 2005 (258) to 2006 (99). The most significant factor for the latter decrease has been police training in reporting on bias-motivated incidents. Crimes against persons constituted 50.4 percent (176) of the hate crimes known to police in 2006, and 49.6 percent (173) involved crimes against property. Extensive tables and figures