The FBI just released hate crime reporting statistics for the nation for 2006. While the number of hate crimes reported nationally increased by 8%, Indiana's reported number of hate crimes actually dropped 28%. Say what? It seems the City of Indianapolis and Marion County decided not to bother reporting hate crime statistics in 2006. The FBI attributed the growth nationally to the fact that more than 200 additional law enforcement agencies started reporting hate crimes in 2006.
In 2005, Indiana reported 54 cases, including 32 involving race, 4 based on religion, 11 based on sexual orientation and 7 because of a person's ethnic origin. Indianapolis accounted for at least 8 reported hate crime cases in 2005. Without any reporting by Indianapolis in 2006, there were 18 cases based on race, 3 based on religion, 11 based on sexual orientation and 7 based on ethnic origin. The number of reported cases based on sexual orientation in Indiana remain unchanged in 2006 despite Indianapolis' non-reporting. Indianapolis' Human Rights Ordinance, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, became law in January, 2006.
Nationally, 52% of the reported cases were based on race, which is actually down from the previous year. Almost 19% of the cases were based on religion. Sexual orientation accounted for 15.5% of the reported cases in 2006, which represented an 18% jump over the 2005 figures. National origin accounted for 12.7% of the reported cases.
Indiana is one of only five states in the country without a hate crimes enhancement law, which provides tougher sentencing for persons who commit crimes against a person or their property based on a bias towards the person's race, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnic origin or religion. Efforts this past legislative session were spearheaded by Marion Co. Prosecutor Carl Brizzi to bring Indiana's law into line with other states. The House of Representatives defeated the legislation after the religious right launched a highly bigoted and misleading lobbying effort against it. Mr. Brizzi might want to ask why his own jurisdiction stopped reporting hate crimes to the FBI as more and more law enforcement agencies nationwide have started reporting.
So what governmental entity in Marion County (or State) is responsible for reporting hate crimes to the FBI? Sheriff? Police? Prosecutor? Courts?
ReplyDeleteThe law enforcement agaencies do it. In 2006, it would have still been IPD and Marion Co. Sheriff.
ReplyDelete...and Lawrence, Beech Grove and Speedway Police?
ReplyDeleteBeech Grove reported and reported no hate crimes. Lawrence and Speedway did not report.
ReplyDeleteIf you think the under reporting of hate crimes was bad for 2006, wait until the 2007 stats come out. A large percentage of all major crimes have been deliberately under reported or reclassified as lesser crimes in an attempt to make the IMPD look like a success. This has been taking place from day one of the newly merged debacle of a police department. The only problem is, it hasn't worked. Crime is up so much because of this mess created by the mayor and implemented by the sheriff and his band of misfits, that even they can't lie that much! Hopefully it's not too late to correct the problem. Semper Fi!
ReplyDeleteAren't patronage crony's of the sheriff now doing the reporting instead of the former police officers?
ReplyDeleteYes, they are.
ReplyDeleteA regular problem that is missing from the analysis is that the 'crimes against persons'category including assaults, etc. is a much larger fraction of the crimes based on sexual orientation. The hate crimes that are reported against gay people tend to be violent whereas those based on religion tend to be graffiti and intimidation. If you can get to HRC or the other organization tell them to focus on this.
ReplyDeletePssssst....Harry....heard of the Trilatteral Commission? All Kennedys and Rockefellers, conspiring to own the world and us.
ReplyDeleteYour constant harping on the IMPD merger is old. Build a bridge and get over it already. The merger happened, it works, and the new mayor will likely get control of the combined department.
Stop with the consipracy theories already. Life begins when you get one. There is no proof whatsoever, except the silly IndyU harping, that the increase in crime and the merger are related. Just like the tax inrease, the merger's timing may havhe, in retrospect, been poor. But it went thorugh. The new mayor says he won't undo it. Which is smart.
..and what party was in control of those agencies that did NOT report?
ReplyDeleteThe Star carries the AP story with a side bar noting that Indiana had a "slight drop" in reported hate crimes; however, it reverses the reported cases for 2006 with 2004, making it appear there were actually more reported cases and more law enforcement agencies reporting. It totally missed the fact that Indianapolis didn't report. Should this surprise us?
ReplyDelete5:30 you wrongfully state that the merger "is working." While there is a police department, it has been diluted, problem solving units dedicated to finding solutions to crime are now so weak they are no longer effective. The police are spread thinner than ever in history...there is a revolving door "arrestee processing center" that continues to set the criminals loose to prey on us.
ReplyDeleteWe have an ultra-liberal non-Prosecutor, who is doing his own bit to help with the numbers by not filing charges against criminals (if he does file, it'll be a lesser charge so that a liberal judge can find the criminal "guilty-indigent" and give no punishment).
The new work-release center is a failure, not allowing criminals to escape by merely walking away....and far too many criminals are getting an expensive ankle bracelet instead of prison and continuing to commit crimes.
A check of U. S. court records will show that a very large sum was paid to a real police officer that had the courage to tell the sheriff "NO, I won't lie on the crime reports and down-grade the classifications." He was suspended for showing moral courage, filed suit, and won a handsome judgment in court.
ReplyDeleteThe cronyism and nepotism has got to go!
Thought police!! Thought police!!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Carl Brizzi was mostly missing in action on the Hate Crimes stuff in the General Assembly last session. While he promised to recruit Rep co-authors and sponsors, his "help" never shpwed up. You have to attribute the fact that we even had a bill to Rep. Greg Porter.
ReplyDeleteLet's see how this plays out in 2008 and what we can do to get it done finally.
meanwhile here in Monroevill-tucky, the Monroevillebillies are staking out their own corner of Allen county, making their town, and High school safe from blacks, and others..
ReplyDeleteWhereas most cities with incidents get Al sharpton, and Jesse Jackson, all those losers get is a broken don, bankrupt, mail-order minister, who barely raises a squeak. Wheres the Nation Of Islam, when you need them.
Morris dees, are you listening?
not to mention the East allen county schools superintendent
Kay"KKK"Novotny...
its another Virgina tech/Columbine just waiting to explode...
Pssst 5:30,
ReplyDeleteYou seem a little bitter.Did you lose your job as a Peterson Lackey?