Predictors of Hate Crime Prosecutions

Abstract

Research on hate crime has focused primarily on law making, law enforcement, and victimization aspects. Few researchers have studied hate crime prosecutions even though this is an important element in such cases. This study uses data from the National Prosecutors Survey of 2001 to predict the likelihood of hate crime prosecutions. Given the data set is a census of prosecutors, it was necessary to add 10 new variables to the data based on the presence and absence of state hate crime laws and their characteristics. The data were subjected to logistic regression, and it was determined that the three strongest predictors of whether prosecutors pursue hate crime are the presence of (a) race, ethnicity, and religion as protected groups in state hate crime law, (b) sexual orientation as a protected status within state law, (c) the presence of an institutional vandalism provision in state-level hate crime law, and (d) if the prosecutor’s office assigned staff to handle community-related activities. The findings are discussed along with suggestions for future research.