Senate Approves Tracking of ‘Hate-Crime’ Data

The Senate, responding to reports of “a rising tide of hate crimes” nationwide, voted Thursday to require federal collection of data on offenses motivated by race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnic roots.

“Let’s find out how much of this poison we have in our society,” Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) said as the Senate voted 92 to 4 to approve the legislation. Simon told the Senate that there have been reports of “a rising tide of hate crimes” in the nation.

Basic provisions of the measure won House approval in June, but the current version is slightly different and the bill must go back to the House for consideration of Senate changes.

Under the measure, the attorney general would be required to keep statistics on crimes motivated by race, religion, sexual orientation and ethnicity. The data would become part of the uniform crime reports compiled from information submitted by law enforcement agencies. To be counted would be such crimes as murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, aggravated assault, simple assault, intimidation, arson, and destruction, damage or vandalism of property.

A Justice Department report of May, 1988, drafted in response to calls for legislation, concluded that accurate information about the number of crimes involving bias against groups is not available. “These types of offenses are far more serious than comparable crimes that do not involve prejudice because they are intended to intimidate an entire group,” the report said.

Opposition to the measure came primarily from Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.). Helms described it as “the flagship of the homosexual and lesbian legislative agenda” and a bill that “fans the fires of the homosexual movement.” He referred to provisions requiring the gathering of data on crimes motivated by “sexual orientation.”