Individuals are overwhelmingly the targets of hate crimes. In 1995, individuals comprised 83% of all reported bias crime victims for the year, with businesses, religious organizations, and varied other targets accounting for the remaining 17 percent. (Ibid.)

Among the offenders reported to be associated with 62% of the hate crime incidents in 1995, whites accounted for 59 percent and African Americans for 27 percent. The remaining known offenders were of other or multi-racial groups, and overall, 38% of the offenders were unknown. (Ibid.)

Intimidation was the single most frequently reported hate crime offense, accounting for 41 percent of the total incidents reported to the FBI in 1995. Damage, destruction, or vandalism of property constituted 23 percent; simple assault, 18 percent; and aggravated assault, 13 percent. Twenty persons were murdered in known hate-motivated incidents in 1995. (Ibid.)

Sixty-seven percent of gay men and lesbians who declined to file a police report about their victimization perceived, or had experienced, the police to be anti-lesbian/gay; 14 percent feared police abuse; and 40 percent feared public disclosure of their sexual orientation. (Herek, G.M., Berrill, K.T., "Hate Crimes: Confronting Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men", Sage Publishing, Newbury Park, CA., 1992.)

The number of arrest for anti-Semitic crimes reported in 1994 were double those reported in 1993. Arson and vandalism represented the anti-Semitic crimes with the most substantial increase in 1994. ("1994 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents", Anti-Defamation League, New York, NY.)

Sixty-four percent of all anti-Semitic vandalism incidents occurring in 1994 happened in 12 northeastern states and the District of Columbia. Western states accounted for 14 percent, while southern states accounted for 11 percent of anti-Semitic vandalism. (Ibid.)

Note: OVC makes no representation concerning the accuracy of data from non-Department of Justice sources.