Resource Library

This resource, tailored for criminal justice professionals and community partners, sheds light on the recent United States Supreme Court decision in Counterman v. Colorado, 143 S.Ct. 2106 (2023). This decision clarified that to establish a “true threat” of violence, the government must prove that “the speaker subjectively understood the threatening nature of his statements.” Id. at 2113. Proof of recklessness is the minimum mental state that will satisfy this burden. Id. Counterman v. Colorado is relevant to the enforcement of hate crimes laws because hate crimes often involve a true threat or other violent crime (e.g., assault, battery, murder, arson). Although the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to free speech, this right does not extend to true threats. This resource therefore provides an overview of the Supreme Court’s decision and its implications for the field and identifies additional resources for consideration.

This U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) page provides information on federal hate crimes laws, policies, state laws, codes, and statutes, and a table that indicates which of the bias categories included in federal hate crimes laws are included in each state’s laws.

The paper compares and contrasts data and findings from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) –sponsored research projects on violent extremism, mass shootings, and bias crimes. The comparison examines both the content and creation/coverage of data from four research projects: the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) database, the Bias Incidents and Actors Study (BIAS) database, the National Hate Crime Investigation Study (NHCIS) database, and the Violence Project dataset.

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program collects and compiles crime data from law enforcement agencies to provide reliable information for law enforcement management. In 2023, more than 16,000 agencies submitted hate crime data, reporting 11,862 incidents involving 13,829 offenses. The data includes details on the offenses, victims, offenders, and locations of these hate crimes.

This CRS toolkit details CRS programs and services to help communities' problem solve and build capacity to prevent and respond to hate crimes.

What is the difference between a hate crime and a hate incident?  This document explains the difference and provides examples of each.

Access a comprehensive collection of DOJ's hate crimes resources.

Newsletters and special bulletins with resources that provide updates, insights, training opportunities, and guidance on hate crime trends, laws, and prevention strategies.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) helps America’s state, local, and tribal jurisdictions reduce and prevent crime, lower recidivism, and promote a fair and safe criminal justice system. BJA provides a wide range of resources through programs and services, including training and technical assistance, to address hate crime matters.

This no-cost law enforcement training, provided by the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC), provides in-person hate crimes training for line-level officers and first-line supervisors to address the immediate response on the scene to potential hate or bias crimes.  The training educates officers about victims, including victimology research, diverse cultures, best communication practices, interviews and social service resources.  The training can be delivered as an 8-hour direct, or a 16-hour train the trainer. Agencies interested in receiving this training or any other technical assistance may visit the Collaborative Reform website and submit a request.