Hate crimes around San Diego County have increased, in spite of statewide trends, reports the North County Times and the state attorney general's office.
The crimes, which are defined by law as a criminal act based on a person's race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin or disabilities, have increased in the county from 25 in 2009 to 41 in 2010, according to a report released last week.
Figures show a decrease in the number of hate crimes against Jews, blacks and gays from 2009 to 2010. However, crimes against Latinos have increased 46.9 percent, going from 81 to 119, over the same time period.
Although the “Hate Crime in California: 2010” report doesn’t include any causes behind the growth trend, some say the increase in crimes against Latinos may stem partly from the county's proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border and its changing demographic, according to the NCT.
Among the areas listed, Escondido saw a doubling in the number of hate crimes, going from four in 2009 to eight last year and Encinitas reported seven crimes, whereas the year before none were reported. Poway and Vista reported a decrease in numbers. For a complete breakdown of the numbers click here.
The biggest increase in reported hate crimes came from Cal State San Marcos where a series of graffiti incidents last year pushed the number from zero to ten.
The incidents involved gay-bashing and racial slurs written in women’s restrooms on campus, according to the NCT.
Local
San Diego County’s number of hate crimes appears to have been steadily growing since 2007, with 119 reported that year increasing to 136 in 2010.
Since 2007 statewide numbers have decreased, falling from 1,426 to 1,107 last year, reports the NCT.
In the end the actual number of hate crimes around the county may go underreported as budget cuts to local police departments might hamper their ability to track such numbers.
For more information head over to our media partner the North County Times.
