New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has released a report analyzing hate crimes in the Empire State. The statistics came from the Department of Criminal Justice Services [DCJS] and the New York City Police Department, but only tell part of the story.
“We found that the number of hate crimes reported in New York State are at the highest level since hate crimes were mandated to be reported in 2000 with the hate crimes legislation,” DiNapoli told The Jewish Press. “It is a very troubling trend and it is certainly going in the wrong direction. We’re also seeing a change in the types of hate crimes that are being reported. Previously, there had been more hate crimes related to property, vandalism, and graffiti. Now, we’re seeing more assaults on people. That is a very troubling trend.”
DiNapoli noted that the statistics are only of reported hate crimes. “The general perception is that many hate crimes go unreported. These numbers suggest an undercounting and that makes it even more concerning,” he said.
He pointed to teaching anti-hate curricula in schools as a method to bring peace in society. “With education there’s a lot, but we need to do more. It’s very clear the kind of efforts we have on teaching tolerance. We just need to go further, certainly in terms of issues in the Jewish community – making sure the requirements of Holocaust education are in fact being fulfilled,” DiNapoli said. “That’s been a big focus of the state education department and the state legislature as well. I do think there are more efforts but the numbers are pointing out that we have a lot more work to do.”
As comptroller, DiNapoli is the fiscal watchdog of the state, as well as overseeing unclaimed funds and serving as the sole trustee of the $267.7 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund, making the state comptroller and the Department of Audit and Control one of the largest institutional investors in the world. The state comptroller’s office is holding more than $19 billion in unclaimed funds and returns more than $1.5 million in lost money to its rightful owners every day.
So why is DiNapoli concerned with a policy issue such as hate crimes?
“We’re the numbers office so we look at data, we look at trends, and we try to inform the larger debate that’s going on there,” he said while visiting the New York State Fair last month. “It’s not just counting the pennies, although that is part of our responsibility. We also have our budget and policy focus…and certainly from our perspective making sure the larger community of New York knows what’s happening out there in terms of hate crimes is an important issue we all need to focus on.
“Hate crimes is an issue that needs to be addressed and we’re going to keep a close eye on it, and we hope the next time we look at these numbers, they’re going in the other direction.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) posted on its website that protests were continuing on at least one of the campuses of the City University of New York. “Anti-Israel protesters at New York’s CUNY Baruch College targeted Hillel on Tuesday, September 3. Outside the building, they shouted such pithy slogans as ‘Baruch Hillel, go to hell,’ ‘Dogs off campus,’ and ‘All Zionists are terrorists.’
“…Sadly, this isn’t the first instance of anti-Israel hostility at Baruch this semester. Last week, protesters outside the Hillel Center displayed a banner depicting an assault rifle and a banner that read: ‘Let the intifada pave the way for people’s war.’ It is unclear if the Baruch protesters are aware that their college’s namesake was one of the most influential Jewish public servants and statesmen of the first half of the 20th century,” the posting concluded.
The report from DiNapoli’s office found that the number of reported incidents of hate crimes more than doubled between 2018 and 2023, and increased by 12.7 percent in 2023 alone.
“More must be done to prevent the prejudice and biases that motivate these crimes from taking root. The fight against hate crimes requires community, faith, and political leaders willing to take an active role in denouncing hate, investing in reporting, prevention, and protection, and enhancing educational efforts that center on celebrating diversity as a strength,” the report stated.
“Education plays a pivotal role in shaping attitudes from a young age. Integrating educational programs that teach students about different cultures, religions, and identities promotes tolerance and lays the foundation for a safer and more inclusive society. By investing in inclusive education initiatives, New York can cultivate a future generation that celebrates diversity and rejects intolerance in all its forms.”
The report also addresses the phenomena of unreported hate crimes. “Underreporting may occur for several reasons. Victims, especially from marginalized or undocumented communities, may be hesitant to report incidents due to reasons that include language barriers, fear of retaliation, mistrust in law enforcement, or lack of confidence that justice will be served.”
According to the report, in 2023, New York City reported the majority (61.4 percent) of hate crime incidents – 669 – an increase of 12.6 percent from 2022. In the rest of the state, the report cited 420 incidents in 2023, 12.9 percent more than the year before.
Not surprisingly, the most targeted group is Jews. “In 2023, nearly 44 percent of all recorded hate crime incidents and 88 percent of religious-based hate crimes targeted Jewish victims, the largest share of all such crimes. Although anti-Jewish hate crimes consistently remain the most frequently reported bias, the share of racially motivated incidents in the state is now greater than five years ago,” the report stated. “The persistence and increase in anti-Jewish incidents have prompted targeted interventions by federal, state, and local governments, such as increased security measures at religious institutions, enhanced hate crime legislation, and working closely with community leaders to foster unity and provide support to victims.” Incidents against Jewish New Yorkers accounted for 65 percent of all felony hate crime incidents (against people and property) in New York City in 2023.
The most common offense was aggravated harassment in the 1st degree, a felony that “involves acts such as painting a swastika, placing a noose on someone’s property, or damaging religious premises. There were 145 incidents of this type in New York City, and all but 14 of them were committed with an anti-Jewish bias,” according to the report.
The 10-page report, prepared by the Office of Budget Policy and Analysis, cited information from 22 sources.
As noted in the report, state policymakers launched a new hotline (844-NO-2-HATE) to report hate crimes. Also, state lawmakers passed a measure requiring colleges “to report campus hate crimes on their website and implement a plan to better educate students about hate crime prevention. Policymakers should additionally explore how to implement the federal initiatives for better data collection and consider whether new legislation or funding could assist local law enforcement in implementing such measures,” the report stated.
“The strategies [of combating hate crimes] must be multifaceted. Leadership is essential, and requires community, faith and political leaders to be willing to take an active role in denouncing hate. Federal and state efforts to enhance support for law enforcement and violence prevention are also critical, as are investments in education for children and adults that teach the value of respecting differences and celebrating diversity.
“By forging a united front against prejudice and intolerance, New York State can create a safer environment where all individuals can thrive without fear of discrimination or violence based on their identities.”
