[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 73 (Thursday, May 4, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S6187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS' REPORT ON HATE CRIME IN OHIO

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, the Ohio Advisory Committee to the 
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has released a report documenting hate 
activity in that State. The Ohio Advisory Committee compiled hate crime 
statistics from the five largest cities in the State, and found 
continuing reports of prejudice and hate ranging from racism, anti-
Semitism, and homophobia. Unfortunately, Ohio's continued problem with 
hate crimes mirrors the national struggle against crimes based on 
prejudice.
  The Ohio report serves as a reminder that there is still much work to 
be done to reduce the incidence of hate crimes. The Hate Crimes 
Statistics Act, which I authored in 1990, has been an important first 
step in this process. The reporting system established by this law 
sends a message to both the victims and the perpetrators of hate crimes 
that law enforcement officials are committed to solving the problem of 
hate crimes.
  Unfortunately, since States are not required to provide statistics on 
hate crimes to the FBI, many States have not yet fully complied with 
this important effort. In this, Ohio again mirrors the problems in many 
States. The Ohio Advisory Committee found that the reporting of hate 
crime by local law enforcement agencies is still insufficient to gauge 
with confidence the extent of hate crime activity in Ohio. Ohio has 
seen significant progress since 1991 when only 30 of 401--7 percent--
law enforcement agencies who participate in the program submitted hate 
crime reports to the FBI. That number increased to 125 of 401--31 
percent--law enforcement agencies reporting in 1993. This progress is 
encouraging, but a greater commitment is needed.
  In addition to the problems with insufficient reporting, the report 
found that Ohio's reporting was plagued by wide discrepancies in 
interpretation of the hate crime statute. This has been a problem in 
many States, and highlights the importance of the FBI hate crime 
training programs. The FBI offers outreach and training programs for 
local law enforcement officials to ensure that hate crime reporting is 
consistent and in keeping with the statute. I encourage Ohio law 
enforcement officials to take advantage of this useful training.
  The Ohio report made several recommendations to improve Ohio's hate 
crime reporting, from encouraging local law enforcement officials to 
avail themselves of the hate crime training offered by the FBI to the 
creation of a central depository of hate crime information in Ohio. 
These changes would not only boost efforts to monitor hate crimes, but 
facilitate more effective remedies and prosecutions of hate crimes in 
the State. I encourage Ohio officials to review these recommendations.
  The foundation laid by the 1990 Hate Crimes Statistics Act is an 
important step in solving the problem of hate crimes. But clearly this 
problem is not going away. The problems in Ohio are not unique. 
Government officials, from local to Federal, need to look for ways to 
assist States and cities interested in training their law enforcement 
officials to report hate crimes, and to encourage all States to 
participate.


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