11/13/2017

CRIME/FBI/LGBTQ/RACISM/RELIGION: “Hate crimes across the country rose about 5% in 2016, the second-consecutive year in which federal authorities tallied an increase in the number of offenses motivated by bias involving race, religion or sexual orientation, according to FBI statistics released Monday [11-13-17].
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, relying on reports provided by more than 15,000 law-enforcement agencies, reported 6,121 criminal incidents last year were motivated in some form by hate, up from 5,850 in 2015. There were 5,479 such incidents in 2014, the FBI has said.
The data show that nearly 60% of victims in 2016 were targeted for their race or ethnicity, 21% for their religion, and 17% because of their sexual orientation. Of known offenders, 46% were white and 26% were black.
More than 4,700 hate crimes were directed at people in the form of intimidation, assaults, murder and rape. About 2,500 targeted property, the vast majority involving damage or vandalism.
The Anti-Defamation League, which fights prejudice and hate crimes, said it was concerned by the increase.”

-Del Quentin Wilber, “FBI Statistics Show Rise in U.S. Hate Crimes in 2016,” The Wall Street Journal online, Nov. 13, 2017 12:27pm