Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog
The FBI says that the number of hate crimes committed in the United States grew by almost 8%, with racism being the reason for more than 50% of the incidents.
In 2006, police in the US reported 7,722 crimes occurred because of prejudice against someone due to their sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, or disability. There were 7,163 hate crimes reported the year prior.
12,600 out of over 17,000 federal, state, county, and local police agencies provided information to the FBI study.
Here is a breakdown of the different hate crimes included in the report:
• 5,549 of the hate crime incidents targeted individuals • 38 was aimed at society in general • 3,593 incidents involved the destruction of property • 2,911 incidents involved vandalism or property damage • 2,046 offenses involved intimidation • 1,447 simple assaults • 860 aggravated assaults
• 41 arsons • 3 murders • 6 rapes • More than half the 7,330 offenders were Caucasian • 20% of them were Black • 12.9% were of other origins • 31% of the hate crime incidents took place near homes • 18% took place on streets • 12% at schools • 6.1% in parking areas • 3.9% in churches, temples, or synagogues
Hate crimes in Massachusetts are considered serious crimes with fines and prison time if a person is convicted. A hate crime involving assault or battery upon a property or person can result in a fine of up to 5,000 and up to 2.5 years in a house of correction.
A person convicted of a hate crime that causes bodily injury to the victim in Massachusetts can end up paying a fine as high as $10,000 and spending up to 10 years in prison.
FBI: Hate crimes jump nearly 8 percent, CNN.com, November 19, 2007
Chapter 265. Crimes Against the Person, Mass.gov
Information on Charging Hate Crimes Under Massachusetts Law, Mass.doe.mass.edu
Related Web Resources:
Hate Crime, FBI
Just because you have been arrested for committing a crime in Massachusetts, however, doesn’t mean you are guilty. A good Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer can defend you against charges and make sure that your rights are protected.
Contact Altman & Altman LLP and ask for your free consultation with one of our experienced criminal defense lawyers today.
