Commission on the State of Hate
CA Civil Rights Department
The Commission on the State of Hate was established at the Civil Rights Department to assist the State of California with monitoring, preventing, and responding to hate.
Goals:
Provide a comprehensive accounting of hate activity in California.
Develop recommendations for enhancing the resources and support for people and communities affected by hate.
Develop recommendations for reducing hate crimes.
Rise in Hate
“The ongoing crisis in Israel and Gaza has resulted in a devastating wave of hate violence in California against people who are, or perceived to be, Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, Israeli, or Arab. Reported anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish hate crimes both increased more than 50% between 2022 and 2023.”
Bullying Prevention
Research studies on “how to build a California free of hate through prevention and intervention [...] examines conflict reduction and bullying prevention programs” found the following:
Youth begin to develop bias and prejudice early, often around the age of five.
The prevalence of hate crimes at schools appears to be growing, with more than 1,000 hate crimes occurring in schools in 2022.
Studies have demonstrated that learning about discrimination can improve students’ ability to detect, and in some cases, challenge, discrimination.
Underreporting
According to researchers, national law enforcement data may only capture between half to less than 3% of the total number of hate crimes that actually happen.
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which collects nationally representative data on hate crimes, finds about two in five (42%) violent hate crime victimizations were never reported to law enforcement.
A significant factor contributing to the low numbers of anti-Muslim hate crimes is a distrust in law enforcement.
This gap may actually be larger, however, because the NCVS undersamples some of the same populations that are less likely to report hate crimes to law enforcement, such as immigrants and youth.
Solutions
In 2023, CRD launched the California vs Hate Resource Line and Network (CA vs Hate), the state’s first-ever multilingual statewide hotline and resource network that allows Californians to report an act of hate and receive care coordination services.
In the first full year of operations, CA vs Hate received 1,020 reports of hate from nearly 80% of counties in California.
Interim Policy Recommendations
Addressing Hate Against Public Officials and at Public Meetings
Enhance Training and Resources for Public Officials and Staff
Enhance Security for Public Officials and Public Meetings
Explore Amendments to Open Meeting Laws
Invest in Data and Research on Hate against Public Officials
Engage in Efforts to Shift Norms and Reassure Communities
Enhancing Resources and Support
Implement a Statewide Rapid Response Support Team
Address the Gaps in Law Enforcement Training Requirements
Implement Evidence-Based Law Enforcement Trainings
Enhance Public Education about Reporting Hate
Provide Ongoing Investments to Security Grants
Provide Ongoing Investments to California vs Hate
Provide Ongoing Investments to Community-Based Organizations
Creating a California Free of Hate
Invest in Evidence-Based School Interventions and Public Messaging Campaigns to Prevent Hate
Support Research and Data Collection on Prevention Initiatives
Support Collaborations between Researchers, Policymakers, and Practitioners
Incorporate Prevention Messages into Public Statements
Prepare Californians before Hate Occurs
Take Action
Hate is on the rise!
Be sure to report incidents to organizations like CAIR-CA or to LA County by calling 211.
