Special Initiatives
Hate Crimes Working Group
The United States Attorney's Office has formed a Hate Crimes Working Group that includes representatives from community and ethnic groups, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other law enforcement agencies.
Racial and bias-motivated crimes victimized more than 7,000 people in 1996, according to the FBI.
The
purpose of the Working Group is to:
1) Improve the reporting of hate crimes
2) Work with other organizations to improve communications
between community and law enforcement
3) Support education and training, and
4) Improve investigation of hate crimes by fostering cooperation
among law enforcement groups
Four subcommittees have been created to define and carry out the Working Group's functions. They are Education and training (outreach to schools; training programs; and outreach to media, such as development of public service announcements), Agenda and Planning (organize and develop topics for Working Group meetings), Law Enforcement (recruit law enforcement agencies to determine and satisfy training needs), Media (recruit media involvement and communicate with media outlets).
Recent
hate crimes prosecutions in the District include a cross-burning
in Newtonsville, a hate-motivated shooting in Columbus, and
prosecution of a man sending racially threatening letters
to a judge.