Missouri hate crimes in 2020 highest since 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The FBI released new hate crime statistics for 2020 on Monday, showing Missouri reported it's most since 2011.
The state of Missouri, in 2020, reported 115 hate crimes, up compared to the 89 in 2019.
Here is how the numbers break down for the last 10 years:
- 2020: 115
- 2019: 89
- 2018: 66
- 2017: 104
- 2016: 89
- 2015: 100
- 2014: 76
- 2013: 105
- 2012: 104
- 2011: 121
- 2010: 142
Law enforcement agencies from across the United States report the data, which is then presented by the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
The UCR Program defines hate crime as a committed criminal offense which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias(es) against a:
- race
- religion
- disability
- sexual orientation
- ethnicity
- gender
- gender identity
According to its website, UCR generates reliable statistics for use in law enforcement while also providing information for students of criminal justice, researchers, the media, and the public.
Agencies voluntarily submit data on crimes motivated by prejudice based on race, gender and gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.
The types of hate crimes reported to the UCR Program’s Hate Crime Statistics Collection are broken down into specific categories.
- Bias Motivation
- Victims
- Offenders
- Location Type
- Jurisdiction
The most common hate crimes reported to the data collection are destruction/damage/vandalism, intimidation, and simple assault.
According to Missouri's numbers from 2020, 53 hate crimes were against black or African-American residents, 12 were anti-white, nine anti-gay (male,) five anti-Islamic and four were anti-lesbian.
Of the 115, reported, 57 were simple assaults, 34 were intimidation 28 aggravated assault, 26 vandalism and three were weapons law violations.
The Columbia Police Department reported one hate crime for 2020.
The Topeka Police Department, in Kansas, has a similar population size and location to Columbia, Missouri, and also reported one hate crime for 2020.
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department, in Athens, Georgia, also has a similar population size to Columbia but is located in the southern part of the U.S., reported seven hate crimes for 2020.
Statewide, Kansas reported 124, while Georgia reported 195, compared to Missouri's 115.
