Hate Crimes Up in 2008, FBI Says

(CBS)  Hate crimes rose slightly in 2008, with bias-motivated attacks based on race, religion and sexual orientation all increasing, according to new data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Overall, there were 7,783 criminal incidents reported last year. Those incidents involved 9,168 offenses. In 2007, there were 7,624 criminal incidents involving 9,006 offenses reported.

Of the criminal incidents, all but three were motivated by a single bias - 51.3 percent by race; 19.5 percent by religion, 16.7 by sexual orientation; 11.5 percent by ethnicity or national origin; 1 percent by disability.

Within the racial bias incidents, 72.6 percent were against blacks; 17.3 against whites.

Gay men were the victims in most of the sexual orientation-bias attacks - 58.6 percent.

Anti-Jewish bias accounted for 65.7 percent of the religious bias attacks; 7.7 percent of the attacks were against Muslims.

Read the full report

Crimes against people accounted for 5,542 - 48.8 percent intimidation; 32.1 percent simple assaults; 18.5 aggravated assault. There were seven murders.

There were 3,608 hate crimes against property - 83.3 percent were acts of destruction or vandalism; 17.7 percent involved theft.

The majority of 6,927 know hate crimes offenders were white - 61.1 percent, compared with 20.2 percent who were black. The offenders' race was unknown in 11 percent. The remaining offenders were other races.

Hate crimes most frequently occurred in or near homes - 31.9 percent; highways, roads, alleys or streets accounted for 17.4 percent; schools accounted for 11.7 percent; parking lots accounted for 6.1 percent; places of worship accounted for 6.1 percent.

[billpl-2009]

doesn't the FBI have better things to do?

[Brokennews]

If a Yankees's fan beats up a Red Sox fan because he's Red Sox fan, doesn't that fall into the same category as a white guy beating up a black guy because he's black. Hate crime laws make no sense if applied with the same standards as other crimes.

[wheatfield2]

According to 2000 census, Whites were 79.8% of population and Blacks were 12.8% (probably higher now, though). I see Blacks committted 20.8% of hate crimes, and Whites committed 61.1%. I see that roughly 79.8% of a population committed 61.1% of hate crimes (.76 per,less than 1 per), and 12.8% of another population committed 20.8% of the hate crimes (1.6 per). Hmmmmmmmmmm

[rmonroe401]

Gee, I wonder why this is. Glen Beck, do you know?

[liselle3]

A crime is a crime when it is committed.
animaltoo

You must not be a minority... hate crimes are distinctly different, they aren't commited because the individual was being robbed, or killed at random, or putting themselves in harms way by being involved in dangerous or criminal activities, they are being harmed simply because they are minorities. Period.

[pws54]

Gee, I wonder what category the Fort Hood murders will fall into? Race? Religion? Will they count each death and injury as a hate crime? Should be.

[animaltoo]

A crime is a crime when it is committed. Does someone get less "justice" if they shoot someone with "love" in mind? Stupid, pure and simple, stupid.

[liselle3]

mecanik-2009
Did you read this? "Within the racial bias incidents, 72.6 percent were against blacks; 17.3 against whites". Sounds to me like they are reporting it.

[Sloughfoot]

Numbers, numbers, numbers now you intellegent folks out there don't really expect to see a reduction in hate crimes or any other government tally that is essential to establish an inflated work force or budget, now do you.