Indicator: 66 - Hate Crimes

Why This Is Important

Maine is seeing growth of a more and more diverse population that can benefit all local communities. Incidents of hate crimes, and other violations related to bias and/or prejudice, harm a community’s ability to meet the needs of all children and families in all of their diversity. When people feel threatened, when property is damaged and when people are attacked or killed because of hate, bias or prejudice, the whole community is called upon to act.

Where We Stand

"Hate crimes” are criminal incidents motivated by bias against persons because of their perceived race, religion, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation or ethnicity/national origin. In Maine, they may include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larcenytheft, motor vehicle theft, arson, simple assault, intimidation, vandalism and harassment. Any particular hate crime incident may involve one or more offenders and one or more victims; the 32 incidents in 2001 involved 43 victims with at least 40 offenders.

Local law enforcement agencies in Maine reported that the number of hate crime incidents dropped between 1995 and 1999, before rising slightly in 2000 and 2001. Half of the incidents in 2001 were motivated by racial bias, 38% from bias involving sexual orientation, 9% from ethnic bias, and 3% from religious bias. These data may under-report the number of hate crimes, since not all victims are willing to report incidents to police.

A second source of information relevant to hate crimes is the Office of the Maine Attorney General, which can seek restraining orders against persons who commit violence, threat of violence, or property damage motivated by the minority status of the victim. The Office receives about 225 reports of civil rights violations and bias incidents each year.

Data Sources and Context

Hate crime data is generated by local law enforcement agencies as part of the National Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. This program is administered by the State Police in Maine, and all crime data from the UCR is published annually in Crime in Maine. That data is available on-line at http://www.maine.gov/dps/cim/crime_in_maine/cim.htm.