Reported Hate Crimes in New York Were 14 Percent Higher in 2009

NEW YORK, NY, January 17, 2011

Hate crimes across the state of New York State were 14 percent higher in 2009 than in 2008, according to state records released on Thursday. Leading the increase of minorities targeted in hate crimes were Jews, Muslims, and gays.

In New York, civil rights violation lawyers could tally 683 incidents of hate crimes reported to police across the state in 2009. Only 599 hate crimes were reported in 2008, the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) said in the report.

In New York City, hate crimes numbered 275, up from 259 the year before. This reflects a six percent increase.

"A hate crime is a criminal civil rights violation against someone motivated by bigotry or bias against a protected group. When a victim of an attack says prejudice was involved, New York police must investigate the allegation," said New York civil violation lawyer David Perecman.

Leading the city in reported hate crimes was the borough of Brooklyn, with 92 hate crime incidents. Manhattan had the second highest number of hate crime incidents, 70, followed by Queens, 61, the Bronx, 33, and Staten Island, 19.

Thirty-seven percent of the hate crimes were anti-Semitic incidents, 21 percent were anti-black crimes, 12 percent against gay men 6 percent against Hispanics, and 4 percent against lesbians, the report said. No more than 2 percent of the hate crimes incidents involved bias based on disability, gender or age.

Forty-five percent of the hate crimes involved assaults or intimidation, or damage and destruction to property (44 percent). A total of 179 individuals were arrested on hate crime charges in connection with the incidents.

"Hate crimes are abominable. They are crimes against an entire group of people who have no relationship to the victim other than a shared characteristic such as religion," said New York civil violation lawyer Perecman. "Bigotry and hate crimes, even the non-violent ones, intimidate and instill fear."

New York law against hate crimes covers a person's race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, mental and/or physical disability and sexual orientation. A victim of a hate crime should call a New York civil rights violation lawyer, especially if he or she believes the crime was motivated by a bias or prejudice and mostly when a government or other group or entity is involved such as the police or government.

"New Yorkers should be proud that we have a city with so much diversity - different backgrounds, viewpoints, religious beliefs, and personal characteristics. Individuals committing hate crimes deserve to be confronted by a New York civil rights violation lawyer in court," said Perecman.

Article provided by The Perecman Firm
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