Anti-Latino Hate Crimes Rising In California

A report from the Attorney General of California shows that anti-Latino hate crimes in that state are on the rise. A snippet from The Press-Enterprise shows that these crimes are up at least 50%:

There were 119 anti-Hispanic crimes in California in 2010, up nearly 50 percent from the 81 in 2009, the report found. The total number of hate crimes statewide rose slightly, from 1,107 to 1,110.

A press release from the AG noted:

 In 2010, there were 1,107 hate crime events reported statewide, and in 2009 the number of hate crimes reported statewide was 1,100…

The Attorney General’s report, “Hate Crime in California 2010” was accumulated using data collection programs developed by the California Department of Justice, police agencies, and district attorney’s offices in all of the state’s 58 counties.

In 2010, there were 7 more reported hate crimes events than in 2009, an increase of 0.6 percent.

Anti-Jewish hate crimes decreased by 20 percent from the previous year, anti-black crimes decreased by 13.8 percent, and anti-gay crimes decreased by 10.8 percent. However, anti-Hispanic hate crimes increased 46.9 percent, from 81 in 2009 to 119 in 2010. 

A total of 361 hate crime cases were referred to prosecutors in 2010, fewer than the 479 cases referred in 2009. Of the 361 criminal cases that were filed, 230 were hate crimes. Of the 166 hate crimes with dispositions in 2010, there were 151 convictions (70 hate crime convictions and 81 other convictions).

This falls in line with a report we previously published, 62% of hate crime victims are Latino and 70% of the victims of LGBT hate crimes are people of color. It’s tragic that during what are already hard times some choose to vent their frustrations with violence against Latinos.

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD.