FBI report cites increase in hate crimes

FROM THE ARCHIVE

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2002

Hate crimes against American Indians and Alaska Natives increased dramatically in 2001, the FBI reported on Monday.

According to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, Native Americans were disproportionately affected by bias crimes. Although less than 1 percent of the general population, 1.8 percent of hate crimes were anti-Indian, the FBI said.

In the year 2001, the FBI listed a total of 80 incidents involving 100 victims who were American Indian or Alaska Native. This is up from 57 incidents and 64 victims in 2000.

The 36 percent increase in victimization was significant when compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Crimes against African-Americans, whites and Hispanics jumped only slightly while anti-Asian crimes were unchanged.

The only exceptions involved those of Middle Eastern origin and those who practice the Muslim religion. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the FBI reported a "noticeable" increase in these areas.

Yesterday's data confirms prior studies on crime in Indian Country. Federal statistics show that American Indians and Alaska Natives of all ages and genders are the victims of violence at the highest rates in the country.

Based on a limited Department of Justice study, one in 10 hate crimes affects Native Americans. The FBI report puts more solid numbers behind the phenomenon.

Native Americans weren't immune from committing bias crimes, the FBI said. Of incidents where the race of the offender is known, 0.6 percent were committed by American Indians or Alaska Natives, a statistically proportionate figure that did not change from 2000.

Most offenders are white, according to the data. Of the more than 11,000 offenses recorded in 49 states and the District of Columbia, 65.5 percent were committed by whites and 20.4 percent by African-Americans.

In 1990, Congress mandated the collection of information about crimes motivated by a bias against a person's race, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity or national origin. The FBI coordinates with state and local law enforcement to meet the requirement.

In 2001, nearly 17,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide participated in the UCR program. The data is not broken down by race per state, so it is not possible to see how many bias crimes against Indians were committed in South Dakota, for example.

Relevant Documents:
Hate Crime Statistics: 2001 | Hate Crime Fact Sheet | FBI Releases the Publication Hate Crime Statistics, 2001