JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RELEASES HATE CRIMES BULLETIN

WASHINGTON, DC - The Department of Justice announced today the release of Addressing Hate Crimes; Six Initiatives That Are Enhancing the Efforts of Criminal Justice, a report on innovative efforts by national, state, and local law enforcement agencies to prevent and respond more effectively to hate crimes. The bulletin, researched and written by Stephen Wessler, Director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Hate Violence at the University of Southern Maine, was published by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) of the Department of Justice (DOJ). It is the first in BJA's Hate Crimes Series.

"DOJ has made it a priority to support police and prosecutorial agencies in responding to hate crimes," said BJA Director Nancy Gist. "The cumulative impact is the training of thousands of officers who are now prepared to respond to and investigate potential hate crimes with speed, knowledge, and skill."

The bulletin discusses six efforts by police and prosecutors to improve systems for responding to hate crimes. They are:

• The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Summit: Hate Crime in America. Convened in collaboration with the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), a 2-day summit at which law enforcement, civil rights, and other leaders developed a broad range of recommendations for addressing hate crimes in communities across the country;
• DOJ's National Hate Crimes Training Initiative. The development of multilevel hate crime training curricula and the creation of a nationwide training program for local law enforcement agencies to implement the curricula;
• BJA's Roll Call Video: Responding to Hate Crimes. The production of a 20-minute video covering the initial response to and investigation of possible hate crimes;
• The International Association of Chiefs of Police's Responding to Hate Crimes: A Police Officer's Guide to Investigation and Prevention. The publication of a compact guide designed as a quick reference to address hate incidents, hate crimes, and how best to assist victims;
• The American Prosecutors Research Institute's (APRI's) Resource Guide, Prosecutors Respond to Hate Crimes Project. The publication of a resource guide on hate crimes for local prosecutors; and
• The Maine Department of the Attorney General's Designated Civil Rights Officers Project. The development of a coordinated statewide system for hate crime investigation and prosecution.

Copies of Addressing Hate Crimes: Six Initiatives That Are Enhancing the Efforts of Criminal Justice, as well as information about other BJA publications and programs are available through the BJA Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja/ and from the BJA Clearing house at 1-800/688-4252. Media should contact Sheila Jerusalem at OJP's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at 202/307-0703.

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