Statistics released by the FBI revealed that 7,783 criminal incidents involving 9,168 offenses were reported in 2008 as a result of bias toward a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity or national origin, or disability. Published by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Hate Crime Statistics, 2008 includes data about hate crime incidents submitted by law enforcement agencies throughout the nation.

An analysis of the 7,780 single-bias incidents showed that 51.3 percent were motivated by a racial bias, 19.5 percent by a religious bias, 16.7 percent by a sexual orientation bias, and 11.5 percent by an ethnicity or national origin bias. One percent involved a bias against a disability.

In 2008, 5,542 hate crime offenses were classified as crimes against persons. Intimidation accounted for 48.8 percent of crimes against persons, simple assaults for 32.1 percent, and aggravated assaults for 18.5 percent. Seven murders were reported as hate crimes.

There were 3,608 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against property; the majority (82.3 percent) were acts of destruction, damage, or vandalism. The remaining 17.7 percent of crimes against property consisted of robbery, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, and other offenses.

Of the 6,927 known offenders, 61.1 percent were white and 20.2 percent were black. The race was unknown for 11.0 percent, and other races accounted for the remaining known offenders.

The largest percentage (31.9 percent) of hate crime incidents occurred in or near homes; followed by 17.4 percent on highways, roads, alleys, or streets; 11.7 percent at schools or colleges; 6.1 percent in parking lots or garages; and 4.2 percent in churches, synagogues, or temples. The remaining 28.8 percent of hate crime incidents took place at other specified locations, multiple areas, or other or unknown places. To view the full report, visit https://ucr.fbi.gov/.