UNDERCOUNT?

FBI Reports Hate Crimes Hit 12-Year High in 2020, With More Attacks on Black, Asian Victims

The agency reported that it had counted 7,759 hate crimes last year—the most it’s seen since 2008 and what some fear is an undercount.

The FBI said it tallied thousands of hate crimes last year, warning that its count has reached its highest level in a dozen years amid a growing number of attacks that have targeted Black people and those of Asian descent. The agency reported that it had counted 7,759 hate crimes last year—the most it’s seen since 2008. The attacks come amid a rising tide of white supremacy and an uptick in violent crime across the country. According to the data, attacks targeting Black people increased from 1,930 to 2,755, and the attacks aimed at people of Asian descent climbed from 158 to 274.

The FBI is required by Congress to report hate-crime data annually based on reporting from local law enforcement, although the number of agencies participating in those collection efforts has dropped for at least two years in a row, according to The Washington Post. Meanwhile, a majority of participating law enforcement agencies reported no hate crimes, raising concerns from Democrats and civil rights advocates about undercounting.