Maryland, Virginia, and the hate crimes stats gap
Now that we've assessed the District's hate crime statistics from 2009, let's take a look at Maryland and Virginia's numbers. Last year, the state of Maryland reported 102 hate crimes to the FBI—62 based on race, 26 based on religion, nine based on sexual orientation, five based on ethnicity, and zero based on disability. Virginia reported 150—97 based on race, 27 based on religion, 18 based on sexual orientation, and eight based on ethnicity, and zero based on disability.
Now disregard those figures! Both states harbor dozens of local law enforcement agencies that don't report bias-motivated crime statistics to the feds at all.
On the city level, the Maryland numbers only include stats from Baltimore, Annapolis, and Aberdeen. No hate crime information is provided out of Bowie (population 52,577), Frederick (population 59,936), Hagerstown (population 40,062), and over 70 other Maryland cities. Colleges like the University of Maryland and Bowie State also fail to report; so do many county cops, Maryland state police forces, and the National Resources Police. Get with the program, National Resources Police!
The state of Virginia doesn't fare much better. While the Virginia numbers include reports from cities as small as Bluefield (population 5,122) and Bedford (population 6,335), it's missing stats from Blacksburg (population 42,047), Herndon (population 22,078), Petersburg (population 32,966), and over 100 other Virginia cities. Also missing: Reports from the University of Mary Washington, James Madison University, and Virginia Commonwealth University; reports from the Virginia state police forces; and an account from police at Reagan National Airport. Did zero hate crimes occur at National last year? The world may never know.
Hate crimes are already an under-reported phenomenon—even in a bias-conscious place like D.C., many hate crime victims won't come forward at all, and those who do won't always see their crimes categorized correctly. In the District, reliable hate crime stats often depend upon police officers remembering to check the "bias-motivated" box on police reports; the least these local jurisdictions can do is make that box available at all.
7 Comments
Jon Fawkes
TJT - Why are the crimes more egregious if aimed at a minority group? No one should harass another person but like the Eleanor Roosevelt quote says - "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." once violence or property damage occurs it is a crime no matter who is the victim. Sorry I just don't get it.
Jon Fawkes
I think you are missing my point - that you can only be intimidated if you let people intimidate you. You are not powerless in this exchange.
To extend your pre-civil rights south. African Americans started a movement - they weren't going to take anymore. Same for apartheid in south africa. Same for any immigrant group that has ever come to America - you have to take what you want. No one is going to give it. In the case of the current assaults in DC - that area will be gentrified - it is a matter of time. The assaults will stop when it happens. People who feel threatened when moving into the area must take steps to protect themselves. To not act in self interest is foolish and naive. There is push back in any gentrification. It is terrible and uncalled for violence to happen but I don't think that sexually has much to do with the assaults. The sexuality is just an easy way to verbally assault. Also it isn't a city wide phenomenon gay men and women own houses all over the city and suburbs. I can't afford to live in Dupont. So attempted intimidation isn't endemic to life in Washington.
TJ T
Well, it seems as if I'm not the person to help you get it. Sorry. It could be that you aren't in a minority, but I don't want to make assumptions as to why you don't get it.
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