Hate crime reports buck national trend, rise in Nevada
Monday, Aug. 14, 2000 | 1:57 a.m.
Hate crimes in Nevada bucked the national trend and climbed in 1999 for the second consecutive year.
Law enforcement officials aren't sure whether the increase reflects an upswing in the crimes or merely an increase in people reporting them.
Police reported 73 incidents of assault, intimidation, burglary or vandalism last year that were likely motivated by a hatred of someone based on their race, religion or sexual orientation, a report by the Department of Public Safety and the Nevada Highway Patrol shows. There also was a report of one incident arising from bias against a mentally disabled person.
The 74 hate crimes that occurred in Nevada are up from 56 in 1998 and 43 in 1997. The 1997 number was down from the previous two years.
Nationwide, the FBI reported 8,759 hate crimes in 1996 and 9,861 in 1997. In 1998, the last year nationwide information is available, the number dropped to 7,755.
The state report is an addendum to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, and offers no explanation for the increase.
Howard Zlotnick, first assistant United States Attorney for Nevada, hopes the higher numbers are the result of people starting to tell police when they are victimized or witness a crime.
"I am hoping that people are reporting incidents as hate crimes that they think are hate crimes," Zlotnick told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Law enforcement officers also are receiving special training in identifying and investigating hate crimes.
"This is a nationwide problem," Zlotnick said.
Collection of statistics on hate crimes began with the federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act, passed in 1990. The act defines a hate crime as that occurring against a person or property and motivated by bias toward race, religion, ethnicity/national origin, disability or sexual orientation.
Data in the state report were provided by 38 Nevada law enforcement agencies.
Of Nevada's 74 incidents, 46 occurred in Las Vegas police jurisdiction, which includes Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County. Reno police handled 15 incidents and North Las Vegas Police handled seven. The Washoe County's School District Police handled three complaints while Washoe County sheriff's office handled two. Clark County School District Police reported one incident.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Google Maps glitch renames Henderson
- Fight snapshot: Pacquiao is a hit with Jimmy Kimmel, and vice versa
- Vegas is inspiring, but not buying, ideas for tourism ads
- Rebels’ win raises a few what-ifs
- Pinnacle CEO resigns after meeting confrontation
- Wood: Not the renewable energy some had in mind
- As earnings fall, Riviera unsure if bankruptcy can be avoided
- Quagga mussels a toxic threat to Lake Mead
- Trial set for parents of boy, 4, who died in hot vehicle
- Not all doctors agree with AMA support of bill
Blogs
The Kats Report
Of tanking, drugs and 'Slim': In 'Open,' Andre Agassi beats the odds
Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch
Who are the Final Four on Dancing With the Stars?
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Drugs bring Nevada governor, first lady back together (3 Comments)
Elsewhere
Macau's gambling industry faces nightmare of water rationing (2 Comments)
Top Chef: Las Vegas
Top Chef Odds Week 11: And then there were six
Politics: The Early Line
Rep. Berkley livens health care debate with story of her own (1 Comment)
Now and Then
Wranglers to face familiar foe and that's putting it mildly
Calendar »
- 11 Wed
- 12 Thu
- 13 Fri
- 14 Sat
- 15 Sun
-
Las Vegas Wranglers vs. Utah Grizzlies
Orleans Hotel-Casino
-
Leaving Springfield at Beauty Bar
Beauty Bar | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Justin Sayne and Dignity at Moon
Moon Nightclub | 10:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Lily Tomlin at the Hollywood Theatre
Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand
-
2nd Annual Go-Go Cup at Blush
Blush Boutique Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati











