Majority of hate crime suspects not prosecuted by DOJ for over 10 years, report says

The majority of hate crimes between 2005 and 2019 were not prosecuted by the Department of Justice, a report from the agency on Thursday detailed. 

The report found 82 percent of hate crime cases were not prosecuted by U.S. attorneys, with most citing insufficient evidence as the cause for not moving forward with a case.

The report looked at 1,878 suspected cases, and found that just 17 percent of them were prosecuted. It arrives as hate crimes have risen in the past year against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic and Jewish people during conflicts between Israel and Palestine. 

Convictions for hate crimes are rising, the report found. 

The conviction rates between 2005 and 2009 increased by 83 percent and conviction rates between 2015 and 2019 increased by 94 percent.

Among the convictions, 85 percent of suspects received an average prison sentence of more than 7.5 years, according to the report.

Hate crimes are defined by law as committing a crime due to a person’s race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability.

During the surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans, President Biden signed an executive order for a “comprehensive federal response” to the matter.