LA County Releases Largest Number of Reported Hate Crimes in 12 Years

LA County releases Annual Report on Hate Crimes: Largest Number of Reported Hate Crimes in 12 Years

The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations or LACCHR Nov. 10, released its annual analysis of hate crimes reported throughout Los Angeles County in calendar year 2020. 

Since 1980, LACCHR has compiled, analyzed, and produced this annual report of hate crime data submitted by over 100 law enforcement agencies, educational institutions and community-based organizations. The total of all reported hate crimes in Los Angeles County grew 20% from 530 to 635. LACCHR and its partners have worked to prevent hate in L.A. County, including with the launch of the L.A. vs Hate initiative in 2020.

To view the complete report, including hate crime maps, graphs, and tables, please click here. For specific race/ethnicity data and examples, please click here for anti-African American hate crimes, click here for anti-Latino/a hate crimes, and click here for anti-Asian hate crimes. 

The report’s significant findings include the following:

• The 635 hate crimes reported in the County were the largest number recorded since 2008. Hate crimes have grown 65% since hitting an all-time low in 2013.
• The 20% increase in hate crime was largely due to a 53% spike in racial crimes. Crimes targeting African Americans, Latino/as, whites, and Asians all rose dramatically. This is the largest numeric and percentage increase since 2003.
• Racist crimes constituted 61% of all hate crimes, compared to 48% the previous year. Once again, African Americans were grossly overrepresented: although African Americans constitute only 9% of County residents, they comprised 42% of racial crime victims. Anti-black crimes jumped 35% from 125 to 169. Latino/as comprised 26% of racial victims and anti-Latino/a crimes rose 58% from 67 to 106. Anti-white crimes surged 127% from 22 to 50 and made up 12% of the total. Crimes targeting Asians grew 76% from 25 to 44 and Asians comprised 11% of racial victims.
• Crimes in which suspects used specifically anti-immigrant slurs grew 14% from 49 to 56, the largest number ever recorded.
• Sexual orientation crimes grew 17% from 104 to 122, and were 18% of all hate crimes. Eighty-four percent of these crimes targeted gay men.
• Religious-motivated offenses declined 18% from 105 to 86 and made up 13% of all hate crimes. The Jewish community was targeted in 88% of these cases.
• After reaching a record number the previous year, anti-transgender crimes declined 24% from 42 to 32. This remained the third largest count ever reported.
• Sixty-eight percent of hate crimes were of a violent nature, the largest proportion since 2003. Transgender victims experienced the highest rate of violence (94%), followed by homophobic (83%), racial (72%), and religious crimes (23%).
• The largest number of hate crimes took place in the Metro Service Planning Area, which stretches from West Hollywood to Boyle Heights, followed by the San Fernando Valley region. However, if one compares the populations of the areas to the numbers of reported hate crimes, the Metro region had the highest rate, followed by the Western region (which includes parts of West L.A., Beverly Hills, Culver City, and a number of beach communities).
• After jumping 38% in 2019, white supremacist crimes remained elevated at 119, the largest number since 2009. They comprised 19% of all hate crimes.
• Hate crimes committed by gang members numbered 32, the same as the previous year. Seventy-six percent were racial and the majority targeted African Americans.

In response to the rise in hate, the Board of Supervisors had previously directed LACCHR to build a multi-year campaign to prevent and respond to acts of hate in the County, which resulted in the L.A. vs Hate initiative. The initiative has three components: (1) a community-driven marketing campaign to encourage residents and organizations to unite against and report acts of hate; (2) the first government hotline (via 211) for reporting acts of hate and providing assistance to hate victims; and (3) a network of community agencies that provide rapid response, support and advocacy, and hate prevention services. Since launching in June 2020, L.A. vs Hate content has been viewed over 468 million times and has been shared over 88 million times. Since September 2019, when L.A. vs. Hate and 211 began accepting calls to report hate, L.A. vs. Hate has received more than 1,400 reports.

Details: click here.