On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council has passed a motion aimed at improving hate-crime reporting, Los Angeles Daily News reports.
The motion was made by Councilmember Nithya Raman. Raman wants to use existing technology to collect more data on hate crimes. Policymakers can then use the data to develop policy, culturally-informed responses and mitigation strategies.
“A 55% increase in hate incidents in Los Angeles between 2016 and 2020 is unacceptable — our current approach is not enough,” Councilmember Raman said in a press release. “We urgently need to take a victim-centered approach in addressing hate, starting with providing expanded avenues for reporting. Developing options that are culturally-informed and independent of law enforcement can help the City collect more accurate data — and can more meaningfully contribute to the implementation of policies and interventions to prevent hate acts.”
The motion comes at a time where hate crimes are on the rise throughout the country. According to Raman’s press release, LAPD data showed a 72.2% increase in hate crimes involving aggravated assault in 2020. The FBI found that hate crimes against Asians rose 73% within the last year, NBC News reports.
Raman’s press release also stated that there is also a large gap between the number of hate crimes reported to law enforcement and the number of hate crimes that actually occur. The Councilmember’s motion seeks to close that gap.
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