NCJ Number
223703
Date Published
July 2008
Length
54 pages
Annotation
This report presents 2007 data on hate crimes in California, as well as prosecutorial data (2007) and trend data (1998-2007).
Abstract
Under California law, a “hate crime” is “a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of the victim: disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.” In 2007 there were 1,426 hate crime events, which included 1,931 offenses, 1,764 victims, and 1,627 known suspects. Hate crime events increased 9.2 percent from 2006 through 2007 (1,306 to 1,426). Hate crime offenses increased 13.5 percent in 2007 (1,702 to 1,931). The number of known victims increased 9.5 percent from 2006 through 2007 (1,612 to 1,627). The number of known suspects of reported hate crimes increased 0.9 percent from 2006 through 2007 (1,612 to 1,627). Anti-homosexual hate crime events increased 77.2 percent (57 to 101). Anti-White hate crime events increased 14.1 percent (64 to 498). Anti-Black hate crime events increased 15.3 percent (432 to 498). Anti-Jewish hate crime events increased 3.9 percent (129 to 134). Violent hate crime offenses increased 19.9 percent (1,044 to 1,252). Property hate crimes increased 3.2 percent (658 to 679). A total of 443 hate-crime cases were referred to a prosecutor. Of the 241 cases with a disposition available for this report, 110 were hate-crime convictions, 103 were other convictions, and 28 were not convicted. From 1998 through 2007, hate crimes that focused on the victim’s race/ethnicity/national origin have been consistently the most frequent bias motivation for hate crimes, followed by sexual orientation and religious affiliation. 14 tables and appended data characteristics and known limitations