DATE=1/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-224989
TITLE=U-S HATE CRIMES (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: HERE IN WASHINGTON THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
SAYS THAT MORE THAN 87-HUNDRED HATE CRIMES WERE REPORTED AROUND
THE UNITED STATES DURING 1996. THE STATISTICS COVER HATE CRIMES
BASED ON RACE, RELIGION AND SEXUAL PREFERENCE AND U-S ATTORNEY
GENERAL JANET RENO SAYS THEY ARE CRIMES WHICH IN THE PAST WERE
OFTEN NOT REPORTED TO POLICE. MORE NOW FROM V-O-A NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE.
TEXT: ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO ANNOUNCED THE F-B-I HATE CRIME
FIGURES AT HER WEEKLY NEWS CONFERENCE. THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT
IN 1996 THERE WERE MORE THAN FIVE-THOUSAND HATE CRIMES REPORTED
BASED ON RACE, MORE THAN 14-HUNDRED BASED ON RELIGION AND MORE
THAN ONE-THOUSAND CASES BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION. IN ADDITION,
940 CASES WERE LINKED TO ETHNIC BIAS.
THE F-B-I SAYS SIXTY PERCENT OF THE VICTIMS IN HATE CRIMES DURING
1996 WERE ATTACKED BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE. 42-PERCENT OF THOSE
VICTIMS WERE BLACK.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS A LACK OF INFORMATION ON HATE CRIMES IN
RECENT YEARS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SAY IF CRIMES MOTIVATED BY
RACIAL, RELIGIOUS OR SEXUAL DIFFERENCES ARE ON THE INCREASE. BUT
MS. RENO SAYS MORE LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE
REPORTING ON HATE CRIMES EACH YEAR, PROVIDING FEDERAL OFFICIALS
WITH INFORMATION WHICH IN THE PAST WAS HARD TO FIND.
/// RENO ACT. ///
HATE CRIMES HAVE LONG GONE UNDER-REPORTED AND WE NEED
SURVEYS LIKE THIS TO UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF THE
PROBLEM.
/// END ACT. ///
/// OPT /// IN 1995, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME 96-HUNDRED LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS REPORTED ON HATE CRIMES AROUND
THE COUNTRY. THAT FIGURE JUMPED TO MORE THAN 11-THOUSAND IN 1996
AND ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO SAYS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
COVERING 84-PERCENT OF THE U-S POPULATION ARE NOW PARTICIPATING
IN THE F-B-I'S CRIME REPORTING PROGRAM. /// END OPT ///
ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO HAS ASKED ALL 93 U-S ATTORNEYS AROUND THE
COUNTRY TO APPOINT HATE CRIME COORDINATORS. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO
ATTEND A MEETING IN WASHINGTON NEXT MONTH TO DISCUSS STRATEGIES
TO COUNTER HATE CRIMES.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS THAT FEDERAL OFFICIALS
WILL BE SPENDING TIME AND MONEY FOCUSING ON PREVENTING HATE
CRIMES:
/// RENO ACT. ///
AS I TRAVEL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, I SEE MORE ANTI-BIAS
TRAINING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROGRAMS THAN EVER
BEFORE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND I SEE
THEM WORKING. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION WILL SOON DISTRIBUTE A HATE CRIMES
PREVENTION MANUAL TO HELP TEACHERS GET YOUNG PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY SHOULD CELEBRATE THEIR DIFFERENCES
AND NOT FIGHT OVER THEM.
/// END ACT. ///
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ALSO SUPPORTS LEGISLATION PENDING IN
CONGRESS WHICH WOULD EXPAND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RIGHT TO
INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE HATE CRIME CASES BASED ON SEXUAL
ORIENTATION. (SIGNED)
NEB/JBM
08-Jan-98 12:21 PM EST (1721 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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