NCJ Number
142388
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This essay reviews the content and intent of Illinois laws that bear upon crimes motivated by the victim's race, color, creed, religious background, or national origin.
Abstract
The Illinois Bias Crimes Reporting Act and the Hate Crimes Bill are somewhat interchangeable. The Bias Crimes Reporting Act deals with the collection and dissemination of statistical information by law enforcement; and the Hate Crimes Bill relates to crimes that are motivated by discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, or national origin. The Bias Crimes Reporting Act does not yet include discrimination based on sexual orientation, but the Hate Crimes Bill does include this category. The Bias Crimes Reporting Act also mandates training for law enforcement personnel in identifying, responding to, and reporting hate crimes. There is a benefit to having the information produced under this law. The mandated information will help police officials conduct crime analyses, help address racial tensions in a given community, and identify problem areas that require greater law enforcement attention or outside assistance from government or private human relations agencies. The Bias Crimes Report can be used to determine patterns and to develop preventive strategies. Statutes that prioritize and focus on hate-motivated crimes and reporting systems that produce a more accurate and comprehensive means of disseminating information on these crimes will permit a long-range solution to these crimes.