FBI Defines Hate Crimes

June 16, 2009

In response to the recent shooting that the United States Holocaust Museum, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has released an official definition of a hate crime. Any traditional offense such as murder, arson, or vandalism with the additional element of bias can result in additional charges for a hate crime.

Congress has also given the following definition of a hate crime: “a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.”

However, both Congress and the FBI have made it clear that hate itself is not a crime. The freedom of speech and other civil liberties are still protected by the United States Constitution.

The federal government can and does investigate and even prosecutes crimes of bias as civil rights violations. The penalties can include fines and longer jail sentences for many offenses. In addition, housing cases may be investigated by the federal government if it is found that bias has been made against the disabled.