2015-06-18 USA: Hate Crime in America

[Rev.Cambeul]

Hate Crime in America, by the Numbers

Bill Dedman, Mike Brunker and Monica Alba | NBC News (USA) | 18 June 2015

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/charleston-church-shooting/hate-crime-america-numbers-n81521

Excerpt: Hate crime and the toxic ideology spread by groups that traffic in the language of racial, sexual or religious superiority are again drawing attention in the wake of Wednesday's deadly attack at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.

But who are these groups and what are they trying to achieve? Are they carrying out violence or simply trying to instigate it? And who is most at risk of being victimized?

Here, by the numbers, is a snapshot of hate crime in America.

How many 'hate groups' are there?

There were 784 active hate groups in the United States in 2014, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The number of such groups surged in response to President Barack Obama's election and the economic downturn — growing from 888 in 2008 to 1,007 in 2012 — before falling to 939 a year later and then the lowest level since 2005, according to Mark Potok, who tracks extremist groups for the SPLC.

What is a hate crime?

A Hate Crime occurs whenever a White person says "No" to a person of colour, or defends themselves from acts of violence by persons of colour or other protected PC species.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSdYXq4CHIQ&ab_channel=AlmostMissouri

As defined by the Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990, hate crimes are "crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, gender or gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity."

For reporting purposes, it does not matter whether or not the perpetrators of the crime were ever charged with a hate crime.

How often do hate crimes occur?

The FBI is charged under the Hate Crime Statistics Act with compiling statistics on hate crimes. In its most recent report, for 2013, it counted 5,928 incidents resulting in 7,242 victims. That was a decline from 2012, in which the FBI tallied 6,573 incidents.

Separately, the Bureau of Justice Statistics has been collecting data on crimes motivated by hate since 2003 for its National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). That survey, which includes data on crimes believed by the victims to have been motivated by hate but not reported to police, showed a spike in hate crimes from 2011 to 2012.

What are hate groups?

The SPLC maintains a list of hate groups that "have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics."

The organization compiles its list using hate group publications and websites, citizen and law enforcement reports, field sources and news reports.

Do hate groups commit violence or simply try to instigate it?

There are no data on hate crimes committed by members of active hate groups, but many experts say that "lone wolf" sympathizers influenced by the group's messages pose a bigger threat.

Which states have the most hate groups?

The SPLC lists these states as having the highest number of active hate groups in 2014:

California (57)
Florida (50)
New York (44)
New Jersey (40)
Pennsylvania (38)
Texas (36)
Tennessee (29)
Georgia (28)
Ohio (27)

South Carolina had 19 active hate groups on the list including the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Original Knight Riders Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, the white nationalist Council of Conservative Citizens and neo-Nazi National Socialist Freedom Movement, National Socialist Movement and Creativity Alliance.