Hate Crime

Trends

In 2015, the number of hate crime victimizations increased 7% from 2014. Despite this recent increase, the number of 

hate crime victimizations experienced annually between 1995 and 2015 has decreased 36%. This decrease has remained 

consistent, despite the rise in law enforcement agencies reporting hate crimes. 

Did You Know?

48% of racially motivated hate crime 

offenses committed in 2015 were by white 

perpetrators, 24% by black perpetrators.

One-third of hate crime offenses occur in or 

near a residence.

Victims of sexual orientation-related hate 

crimes are most likely to be victimized in a 

public place.

2017 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide: Crime and Victimization Fact Sheets

A hate crime is a criminal offense that is motivated by personal prejudice and directed at others because of their 

perceived race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religion, or disability. One hate crime offense may 

include multiple victimizations. Since 1992, the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has collected and published 

information annually on the number of hate crime incidents, offenses, victims, and perpetrators in the United States. 

These statistics allow law enforcement agencies, policy-makers, and victim service agencies to better understand and 

address prominent issues regarding hate and bias.

Between 1995 and 2015, the number of hate crime offenses 

committed against people decreased 37%, and hate crime 

offenses committed against property decreased 20%. 

Between 2014 and 2015, however, hate crimes offenses 

against people increased 11%, while hate crime offenses 

against property remained the same. 

Racially motivated victimizations are the most common 

type of hate crime victimization. While they have decreased 

41% since 1995, racially motivated hate crime victimizations 

increased nearly 20% between 2014 and 2015.

Number of Hate Crime Victimizations and Reporting Agencies

in thousands of crimes and agencies

1995

10.5

12.4

7.2

8.8 9.6

15.0

Reporting law enforcement agencies Hate crime victimizations

1999 2003 2005 2007 2011 2013

20,000

1997 2001 2009 2015 0

4

8

12

16

20

Hate Crime Offenses by Type of Crime

in thousands of crimes

1995

3.3

7.1

2.6

3.5

5.2

4.5

Crimes against persons Crimes against property

1999 2003 2005 2007 2011 2013

10,000

1997 2001 2009 2015 0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

Hate Crime Victimizations by Type of Bias

in thousands of crimes

1995

6.4

1.3

1.0

1.6

Racial bias

Ethnicity/National origin bias

1999 2003 2005 2007 2011 2013

10,000

1997 2001 2009 2015

4.9

3.8

1.4

1.2 1.4

1.3

1.2 0.4

Religious bias

Sexual orientation bias

Disability bias

0

2

4

6

8

10

n/a 0.05 0.09
SOURCE

FBI, Hate Crime Statistics, 1995-2015, (U.S. Department of Justice), https://ucr.

fbi.gov/hate-crime 

Most single-bias hate crime victimizations in 2015 were

racially motivated (59%). Of racially motivated criminal 

victimizations, 52% were anti-black or African American, 

19% were anti-white, and 9% were anti-Hispanic or 

Latino. A combined 20% of racially motivated hate crime 

victimizations were committed because of bias against 

Asian, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, or 

other individuals. 

One-fifth of hate crime offenses in 2015 were motivated 

by religious bias. Of religiously motivated criminal 

victimizations: 51% were anti-Jewish; 22% were antiIslamic; less than 5% were anti-Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, 

or Protestant; and 15% were against individuals perceived 

to be of another religion or atheist or agnostic. 

Nearly 18% of single-bias hate crime victimizations in 

2015 were committed because of the victim’s perceived 

sexual orientation. Anti-gay victimizations were 4.5x 

more frequent than anti-lesbian victimizations, and 3x 

more frequent than anti-LGBTQ victimization in general. 

Hate crime victimizations motivated by gender identity, 

disability, or gender each totaled less than 2% of all 

victimizations.

Two-thirds of hate crime offenses are committed against 

persons and 1/3 are against property. In 2015, intimidation 

accounted for 40% of bias-motivated personal victimizations, 

simple assault for 38%, and aggravated assault for 20%. 

Murder, non-negligent manslaughter, and rape combined 

accounted for 1% of hate crime victimizations. 

Current Data on Hate Crime

Destruction, damage, or vandalism of property accounted 

for 74% of property victimization, larceny-theft for 11%, 

burglary for 7% and robbery for 6%. All other forms of hate 

crime property victimizations accounted for 3% of crimes 

committed against property.

Hate Crime Victimizations Against Persons

75%

Intimidation 41

38 Simple 

assault

Aggravated 

assault 20

1 Rape, murder, 

manslaughter

Hate Crime Victimizations by Religious Bias

Anti-Jewish

Anti-Eastern 

Orthodox

15

22

3

51

4

Anti-Other religion/

No religion

Anti-Protestant

75%

Anti-Islamic 

(Muslim)

Anti-Catholic 4

Anti-Race/Ethnicity 

Hate Crime Victimizations

Anti-Black or African American (52%)

Anti-White (19%)

Anti-Hispanic or Latino (9%)

Anti-Other race/ethnicity* (20%)

*“Other” includes Asian, American Indian, or 

Alaska Native.

Hate Crime Victimizations by Bias Category

Race/Ethnicity

Gender

18

20

2

59

0.4

Religion

Sexual 

orientation

Gender 

identity

75%

Disability 1

Crimes Against Property

Destruction/damage/vandalism (74%)

Larceny-theft (11%)

Burglary (7%)

Robbery (6%)

Other* (3%)

Destruc(on/damage/vandalism 

Larceny-the8 

Burglary 

Robbery 

Other* 

*“Other” includes motor vehicle theft and arson.