The Dark Figure of Hate Crime Underreporting

• In Event: The Pervasive Effects of Hate Crime Offending

Abstract

Hate crimes are notoriously underestimated evident by significant differences reported between the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Between 2004 and 2012 an average of 269,000 victimizations were reported by the NCVS (Wilson, 2014); Simultaneously, UCR hate crime statistics reported an average of 8,770 incidents (FBI UCR Hate Crime Statistics, 2004 through 2012) suggesting a sizable dark figure of hate crime underreporting. We present two hypotheses to explain hate crime underreporting. First, we hypothesize that bias crime victims, relative to non-bias crime victims, are least likely to report their victimization to police. Secondly, we hypothesized that reporting varies based on perceived police legitimacy from groups who are simultaneously at risk and sustain strained relationship with police. Using stepwise logistic regression, controlling for victim, offender, and situational factors found to increase non-bias crime victim reporting, we assessed the relative propensity for bias crime victims to not report their victimization. We also examined whether measures of perceived police legitimacy explained victim under reporting practices. Findings have implications for police-community public relations and the potential benefits of proactive and transparent hate crime enforcement policies and practices.

Authors

• Frank S Pezzella, The Graduate Center, John Jay College / CUNY

• Matthew Fetzer, Shippensburg University

• Tyler Keller, Shippensburg University