NCJ Number
152083
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 61 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1994) Pages: 14,16,18,21-22,24,28,30,32,34,36,38,40,44,46,49-50
Date Published
1994
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This compilation of articles focuses on Florida's human diversity training for police officers, hate crime law enforcement, measures taken by religious groups to prevent hate crimes, innovations in civil rights law enforcement, and multifaceted approaches to hate crime prevention.
Abstract
Responding to the clear need for quality human diversity training for members of its law enforcement community, the Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission has established a statewide curriculum for police, correctional, and probation officers. The human diversity training program requires that basic recruits receive 24 hours of diversity training and that inservice officers receive 16 hours of diversity training during every mandatory retraining cycle. The curriculum covers minority groups and cultures and helps individuals interact with others of diverse backgrounds. With respect to hate crime law enforcement, the law enforcement community in partnership with human rights groups has played a leadership role in supporting hate crime penalty enhancements and data collection initiatives. At the present time, 46 States and the District of Columbia have enacted statutes addressing hate violence. The Federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act, enacted in 1990, requires the U.S. Justice Department to collect data on crimes that manifest prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity and to publish an annual summary of the findings. In Newark, New Jersey, a Minister Alliance Program has been initiated that encourages interested ministers to attend the Police Academy for a 24-hour course on police procedures, policies, ethics, use of force guidelines, and organizational structure. The goal is to cooperate with the police in providing security for church services and religious observances. In Boston, innovations in civil rights enforcement have led to the joint use of criminal and civil prosecution to deal with hate crimes, domestic violence, and gang violence. The Massachusetts Civil Rights Act has been used to address criminal victimization on the basis of race, religious belief, sexual orientation, and gender. In Eugene, Oregon, police officers receive training to familiarize them with Oregon's hate crime law and work with human rights and advocacy groups to prevent hate crimes. In the Louisiana jurisdiction of Shreveport-Caddo Parish, efforts are being made to investigate and prosecute hate crimes. In addition to the law enforcement response, a coalition of citizens known as the Human Relations Commission is attempting to deal with some of the sensitive issues associated with hate crimes.