The research was conducted in 1995-96. The analysis focused on efforts in the areas of housing, social services, education, policing, prosecution, and the courts. The research was conducted in 1995-96. The eneral political background was important in that the German officials recognize that recognize the challenges of racism and xenophobia. In contrast, the words and actions of political parties of the extreme right in France and Italy encouraged racially motivated crimes, while other political parties failed to take the threat to society seriously enough. The case studies also agreed on the need for a strong statutory framework, but the reports on Rome and Lyons suggested that implementation is a crucial issue and is far from effective in those cities. The central role of the police with respect to the handling of complaints, involvement in prosecution, cases of police misconduct, and positive initiatives revealed the importance of policing in addressing the problem. Findings also indicated that other social factors besides racism had a significant effect, that underreporting of racially motivated crime is a problem, and that improved victim support is needed. The authors also suggested that the issue is not just to formulate policies but to ensure that they are universally applied and that action at the European level could help address this issue. Footnotes and chapter reference lists