Racist/Hate Crime

Hate crime refers to any offence which is motivated out of racial, religious, sexual or social prejudice. It can take a number of forms, including physical attacks, verbal abuse or threats. The recent policy and legislative response to hate crime is generally thought to reflect recent developments in criminology, which has seen some criminologists explore the issues raised by diversity and difference in the criminal justice system.

Recent research conducted in England and Wales suggests that the majority of hate crimes take place near the victims’ home, and are usually committed by someone from the same neighbourhood. For further details see here.  Details of recent legislative developments in Scotland can be found on the Scottish Government website.  

The US based Hate Crimes Research Network website provides a wealth of information and research, as well as links to other useful resources on the web.

The Home Office also provides some background information on hate crimes, including links to various support agencies in the UK.

The Centre holds a small number of books on hate crimes, details of which can be found here.