FBI Stats are mixed bag on Hate Crimes

I was recently quoted in a number of places criticizing the FBI annual hate crime report. The numbers are grossly inaccurate and most of the media treats them as if they are highly sophisticated, professionally gathered statistics.

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The Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990 requires that all local law enforcement agencies report hate crimes. Problem is that only half of all police agencies have a "bias" box on their police report. So immediately 50% of all police are not reporting. The other half have received little to no training on hate crimes, what makes them different and the importance of these statistics. Until these number mean something, like money for survivors or real societal education, the numbers will be flat and empty.