Hate Crimes in California ‘Highest in Decade’: Report

Hate crimes against Black Californians rose 87.7 percent from 2019 to 2020 to the highest number in over a decade, according to a recent report by the California Department of Justice.

The report shows data on the number and demographics regarding hate crimes and bias events reported from local law enforcement to the state’s Department of Justice in 2020.

According to the report, released last week, there were 456 reported anti-Black or anti-African American bias events in 2020, nearly doubling the 243 reported from 2019.

Anti-Asian bias events also increased by 107 percent in 2020.

Although there were only 89 anti-Asian bias events reported to the DOJ in 2020, the sharp increase reflects the rise in hate crimes and bias events against those of Asian descent across the nation.

“I believe the language that some of our leaders used, including the former occupant of the White House, pushing out messages of hate and xenophobia and racism and discrimination, has fueled the rise in hate crimes,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in an article published in the San Francisco Chronicle.

The number of hate crimes overall increased by 25.5 percent in the past decade, although fluctuating over those 10 years. Racially motivated hate crimes or bias events increased by 67.3 percent overall in 2020.

According to the report, bias events regarding religious affiliation and sexual identity decreased in the state in 2020, but events regarding gender bias increased.

The report defines a hate crime as a crime motivated by perceived or actual bias against a person or group, including disability, gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

Although data from last week’s report provides necessary information regarding hate crimes and whom they affect the most, hate crimes and bias events can be hard to report depending on each state and jurisdiction’s laws regarding bias crimes.

Wyoming and South Carolina still don’t have hate crime laws as of a March investigation by CNN. Over a dozen other states have laws regarding hate crimes and bias events but don’t require data collection, making it difficult to report on trends state to state.

Arkansas, which was listed in the CNN article as not having any hate crime legislation, was recently criticized for a “hate crimes lite” bill in April that didn’t specifically list race or sexual orientation in the bill.

Hate crime bills in Wyoming are under development for next year’s legislative session. South Carolina too has struggled with passing hate crime legislation this year.

“There are wide disparities in the protections provided by the various state hate crimes laws, resulting in unequal protection from similar violent crimes in different jurisdictions and the frustration of efforts to collect and maintain accurate national data regarding these attacks,” said a report by the Brennan Center for Justice.

In a press release published at the end of June, the FBI said hate crimes are at their “highest priority” due to their “devastating impact they have on families and communities.”

“Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim—they are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community,” said the press release.

The report acknowledged that data is likely skewed as a result of the pandemic, and that more research and data needs to be conducted in order to account for it.

“Hate crimes in the state are at their highest reported level in more than a decade. We must work together to tackle hate in all its forms,” said Bonta via Twitter regarding the report.

Read the full report here.

Emily Riley is a TCR Justice Reporting intern.