Responding to Hate Crimes: A Police Officer's Guide to Investigation and Prevention

This guide explains the differences between hate incidents and hate crimes and how to respond to each. Hate incidents involve behaviors motivated by bias against a victim's race, religion, ethnic/national origin, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation that are not considered illegal, such as hostile or hateful speech. These behaviors become hate crimes when violence or physical injury is committed against persons or property, or when victims have a reasonable fear of violence occurring. This guide lists steps officers should take at the scene, factors that indicate a hate crime may have been committed, and ways for police to offer effective support to hate crime victims and the community throughout the investigation and prosecution processes. The guide also includes a convenient tear-out pocket guide summarizing these points and listing additional resources.

"Responding to Hate Crimes: A Police Officer's Guide to Investigation and Prevention" (NCJ 179087) is available on the International Association of Chiefs of Police Web site at http://www.theiacp.org/pubinfo/Pubs/hatecrime.htm and by mail.

19.07.2000

© Speak Out Terms of use