U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Hate Crimes

Description

Hatred fueled by prejudice and bias has motivated criminal acts throughout history and hate crimes continue to challenge the safety and well-being of people in the United States.

A hate crime is defined as a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in whole, or in part, by the offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.

The U.S. Department of Justice is dedicated to combating hate crimes and providing services to victims of hate crimes.

Jabara-Heyer State Run Hate Crimes Hotline Program

OVC has launched a new grant program, the Jabara-Heyer State Run Hate Crimes Hotline Program, authorized by the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. Learn more about this program in our Hotline Program Overview Fact Sheet.

View our Considerations in Operating Hate Crime Hotlines Fact Sheet for information about how to plan and implement effective hotline operations to respond to hate crimes.

The following resources provide information on hate and bias crimes.

Date Created: May 28, 2020