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Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim - they are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. If you believe you are a victim or a witness of a hate crime, report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov. You may remain anonymous.
Definition of a Hate Crime
A hate crime is a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias. For the purposes of collecting statistics, the FBI has defined a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” Hate itself is not a crime—and the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties.
The FBI’s Role
As part of its responsibility to uphold the civil rights of the American people, the FBI takes a number of steps to combat hate crimes.
Investigative activities: The FBI is the lead investigative agency for criminal violations of federal civil rights statutes. The Bureau works closely with its local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners around the country in many of these cases.
Law enforcement support: The FBI works closely with state/local/tribal authorities on investigations, even when federal charges are not brought. FBI resources, forensic expertise, and experience in identification and proof of hate-based motivations often provide an invaluable complement to local law enforcement. Many cases are also prosecuted under state statutes such as murder, arson, or more recent local ethnic intimidation laws. Once the state prosecution begins, the Department of Justice follows the proceedings to ensure that the federal interest is vindicated and the law is applied equally among the 95 U.S. Judicial Districts.
Public outreach: Outreach is a critical component of the FBI’s civil rights program. The FBI engages with various local and national organizations to help communities understand what constitutes a hate crime and to encourage reporting. Many FBI’s field offices participate in working groups with state and local law enforcement partners, as well as community groups, to develop strategies to address local hate crime problems.
Training: The FBI conducts hundreds of operational seminars, workshops, and training sessions annually for local law enforcement, minority and religious organizations, and community groups to promote cooperation and reduce civil rights abuses. Each year, the FBI also provides hate crimes training for new agents, hundreds of current agents, and thousands of police officers worldwide.
