What are hate crimes? They are violent acts against others based on bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation, according to the definition by Congress. It is estimated that each year about 6,000 - 8,500 hates crimes are committed in the U.S. While in some victim categories, hate crimes are decreasing, crimes are disturbingly on the rise in others.
Who are the victims of hate crimes?
Hate crimes based on race continue but statistics are now being tracked by the FBI that indicate an alarming increase in hate crimes based on religion and sexual orientation. This includes hate crimes against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people, as well as Muslims and Jews. Although over 48 percent of hate crimes are based on race, it is alarming to learn that over 19 percent are based on sexual orientation and 19 percent on religious bias.
Who made the top 10?
#1 - District of Columbia: with 11.39 hate crimes per 100,000 people, D.C. takes first place.
#2 - Michigan: surprisingly, this state takes second place with 6.38 hate crimes per 100,000 people.
#3 - North Dakota: has a 5.95 hate crimes per 100,000 people rating. The "Peace Garden State" has a strong white supremacist movement.
#4 - Kentucky: rates 5.31 hate crimes per 100,000 people. The state is strongly anti-gay.
#5 - Tennessee: rates 4.91 hate crimes per 100,000 people, and a third of all their hate crimes are based on race. This state has at least 37 known hate groups.
It should be noted that many states do not recognize or track hate crimes, which means the number of hate crimes are most likely higher than what is reported here.
To see the full list, visit www.therichest.com/rich-list/most-shocking/10-u-s-states-most-plagued-by-hate-crimes/
