Resources
Author: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Year: 1991-2022
Method: Hate crime data for the nation are derived from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and Summary Reporting System (SRS) reports voluntarily submitted to the FBI by various law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement agencies report hate crimes brought to their attention monthly or quarterly to the FBI either through the state Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) programs or directly. Hate crimes are motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias against a race, gender, gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and were committed against people, property, or society. Because motivation is subjective, it is sometimes difficult to know with certainty whether a crime resulted from the offender’s bias. The presence of bias alone does not necessarily mean that a crime can be considered a hate crime. Only when a law enforcement investigation reveals sufficient evidence to lead a reasonable and prudent person to conclude that the offender’s actions were motivated, in whole or in part, by their bias, should an agency report an incident as a hate crime.
Population: All race categories; national
Summary of findings: From 2020 to 2022, anti-Black hate crimes consistently represented a significant proportion of hate crimes reported, with 3,499 cases (35%) in 2020, decreasing slightly to 3,297 cases (30%) in 2021, and 3,424 cases (29%) in 2022. The frequency of anti-Asian hate crimes surged in 2021, recording 753 cases (7%), a rise from 334 cases (3%) in 2020, before reducing to 499 cases (4%) in 2022. Additionally, faith-based hate crimes against Sikhs increased in 2021 with 191 cases (2%), up from 92 cases (1%) in 2020, maintaining a similar level in 2022 with 181 cases (2%).