Hate Crimes

This article describes our current state of knowledge regarding the causes, conditions, and consequences of hate crimes. Initially, we offer a definition of hate crimes and then present a legal framework for the hate crime distinctions currently in place in the United States. Next, we provide some background concerning the nature of prejudice in general and the role of prejudice as a cause of hate-motivated offenses. In subsequent discussions, we characterize the current state of data on hate crimes in the United States, and then, based on these data, we describe the four major types of hate crimes involving offender motivation. We also describe the role played by organized hate groups with respect to inciting and participating in hate-motivated violence. This article concludes with a discussion of the most effective responses to hate crimes as well as ways to prevent these offenses from ever taking place.