Non-Emergency Line (562) 594-7232

Hate Crime Information & Resources

Hate Crime Statistics

Understanding Hate Crime

The U.S. Department of Justice defines hate crime as “the violence of intolerance and bigotry, intended to hurt and intimidate someone because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.” The California Penal Code (PC 422.55(a)) further defines a hate crime as a “criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more… actual or perceived characteristics of the victim.”

Nationwide, there are laws against hate crimes. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, this means that if bias is involved, a crime such as vandalism, assault, or murder is also a hate crime, and the penalty is more severe than it would be otherwise.

The implementation of hate law crime is intended to deter blas motivated violence. Additional recourse for the suppression and prevention of hate crime, involve community members coming together to learn about hate crime and methods in which to prevent it in their community. The effects of hate crime are significant and have wide ranging implications to victims, making this issue important for the community to know about.

The FBI tracks and releases statistics of hate crime committed nationwide. Numbers have historically shown that as a nation, we still have a problem with hate crime that has devastating impacts on communities, For more information and for current data, please visit the FBI website at www.fbi.gov.

Hate Crime Prevention

Adults can do the following:

  • Set a good example by showing respect for others through actions, attitudes, and remarks.
  • Organize forums to examine possible sources of bigotry and hate violence in the community and brainstorm preventive actions.
  • Request hate crime statistics from law enforcement to stay aware.
  • Raise public awareness that bias-motivated incidents are crimes and should be reported to law enforcement.
  • Support training in identifying and responding to bias-motivated crime for police and sheriff’s departments.
  • After getting approval from the investigating law enforcement agency, immediately clean up any bias-motivated graffiti. Paint a mural celebrating diversity in its place.
  • Work with schools, businesses, or community groups to sponsor poster or essay contests on “How Bias-related Crimes Hurt Our Community.”
  • Offer support to a co-worker or neighbor who has been a victim of a bias-motivated crime.

Young people can do the following:

  • Start a conflict resolution program in their school.
  • Say hello to, and have a conversation with, someone who may appear different from them.
  • Reject all stereotypes.
  • Report incidents of discrimination or hate crimes to parents, law enforcement, and teachers.
  • Start a peer education program – to teach bias awareness to younger children.
  • Organize a community-wide Day of Respect or Day of Dialog, in which all members in your community can share strategies for prevention.
  • Share positive anti-violence messages with everyone.
  • Start a school or town crime watch program.
  • Advocate violence prevention by writing to local government representative and sharing ideas.
  • Offer support to a classmate who has been a victim of a bias-motivated crime.

 

Learn the Facts

In the status quo, there are an increasing number of crimes motivated by hatred or bias. The continuance of racism, prejudice, discrimination, and lack of understanding for differences has continued to perpetuate the problem. The inherent hate for a whole group for no particular reason other than one’s own blas is not something people are born with, rather learned. Awareness is vital and working together will pave way to solvency. Engage in open discussion, get involved in the community, and strategize on ways to address the issues. Take control of hate crime in your area, and educate those around you to discourage its occurrence.

Information provided by the National Crime Prevention Council website at www.ncpc.org

Reporting a Hate Crime

The Seal Beach Police Department is committed to assisting victims of crime. If you are a victim of a hate crime, report it as soon as possible. The following are recommended steps:

  • Call 9-1-1 to report and seek medical assistance if necessary.
  • Write down every detail that you can remember about the incident and suspect details if available (i.e. gender, age, race, height/weight, clothing, scars/tattoos).
  • If possible, take pictures of any damage or injuries resulting from the incident.
  • File a report and provide the responding officer all details regarding the incident and pictures (if available). Anything that is related to the crime can assist the investigation.

If you need additional assistance, the Seal Beach Police Department will offer available resources to you. Feel free to contact the police department with any questions or concerns.

Referrals

Seal Beach Police Department Non-Emergency Line
(562) 594-7232
www.sealbeachpd.com

CSP Victim Assistance Help Line (24 hour):
(714) 957-2737

CSP Youth Shelter Crisis Shelter and Counseling for Youth 11-17 or hate
(949) 494-4311

Legal Aid Society of Orange County
(714) 835-8806

Crime Victims’ Rights
(800) VICTIMS

Orange County Superior Court
https://www.occourts.org/self-help/self-help-criminal/victims-crimes

The Seal Beach Police Department aims at educating and working collaboratively with its residents about crime prevention strategies to decrease the possibility of becoming a victim of crime.

For more information, please contact the Seal Beach Police Department.

911 Seal Beach Boulevard
Seal Beach, CA 90740
(562) 799-4100