Hate crime data is out, and Idaho is near a record high. It’s still under-reported | Opinion

FBI hate crimes data released last week shows that Idaho continues to experience a heightened level of hate crimes as compared to years past. The new data, covering 2021, shows 42 reported hate crimes in Idaho last year.

This year’s sum is one of the highest annual totals in more than 20 years. We saw a similar number reported in 2020 (43).

Most reported hate crimes in Idaho continue to be motivated by race, ethnicity, or ancestry. Offenses based on sexual orientation constitute the next largest group and have increased in recent years. Offenses involving a bias against a religion is a third significant category in Idaho.

Crime data from the Idaho State Police tells a similar story. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, both violent crime and hate crimes increased significantly in Idaho, consistent with national trends. In 2021, like 2020, the number of reported hate crimes is more than double what agencies reported in 2019.

I won’t parse the data further. Forty-two hate crimes in Idaho are 42 too many, and an increase in any type of crime needs to be addressed. When it comes to hate crimes, however, we also must recognize that these offenses are historically under-reported. Individuals from minority communities and marginalized groups may feel uncomfortable contacting law enforcement. Others may be reluctant to replay the trauma of the event in question. Still others may not realize that certain bias-motivated incidents — for example, vandalism or damage to property — should be reported to law enforcement and may constitute hate crimes.

All of these impediments to more complete data are understandable.

As United States Attorney for the District of Idaho, one of my priorities is to work with community groups, educational institutions, and our federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement partners to encourage and facilitate the reporting of hate crimes. Why is this so important to me? It’s simple: better reporting leads to more prosecutable cases.

And prosecuting hate crimes is essential to upholding the rule of law and protecting the core values of our nation and this great state that we call home. Making sure that individuals are not attacked for who they are is essential to protecting individual liberty and building strong communities.

So how can we actually encourage the reporting of hate crimes? I don’t have an answer so much as I have an approach. It is not enough to simply ask Idahoans to report hate crimes. To at least some extent, under-reporting reflects missing connections of trust between the community and law enforcement (including prosecutors like myself). Engaging with all groups and communities in Idaho to openly discuss the law and to share reporting mechanisms is critical. Idaho’s law enforcement community — at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels — is ready to do this.

My office’s “United Against Hate” initiative is part of this approach. Tailoring this Department of Justice national program to Idaho, we have held several meetings across the state, including a well-attended public meeting last month generously hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and co-sponsored by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. In these meetings, we bring federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement leaders to the community, and I have been heartened by the response both during and after the events.

Idahoans are ready to stand up against hate, including hate aimed at minorities, marginalized groups, and, ultimately, the fibers that bind us together as a community. There are several ways to fight against hate, but I encourage all Idahoans to begin by understanding both federal and state hate crime laws and by reporting anything that they think might qualify.

Even something that may not rise to the level of a hate crime is helpful for law enforcement to know. A single data point here may connect to an existing investigation there. So please don’t hesitate to report.

As we move forward, I will not be discouraged if we see a rise in reported hate crimes in Idaho in the coming years. I recognize that this may sound counterintuitive coming from a law enforcement official dedicated to reducing crime. But I will take solace in the fact that a higher number of reports will reflect individuals feeling connected to law enforcement, folks looking out for one another, and Idaho communities strengthening their resolve.

For as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., taught us: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.” Let us use hate crimes data to shine a light, and let us point that light towards justice for all.