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U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance

PROMISING PRACTICES AGAINST HATE CRIMES FIVE STATE AND LOCAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

Monograph

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U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531

Janet Reno Attorney General

Daniel Marcus Acting Associate Attorney General

Mary Lou Leary Acting Assistant Attorney General

Nancy E. Gist Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance

Office of Justice Programs World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov

Bureau of Justice Assistance World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA

For grant and funding information contact U.S. Department of Justice Response Center 1–800–421–6770

This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement No. 95–DD–BX–K001, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance,Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice to Community Research Associates,Inc. This document was prepared by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Hate Violence, University of Southern Maine, under contract with Community Research Associates,Inc. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recom- mendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. 1-Promising Practice monog. 6/29/00 10:15 AM Page i

PROMISING PRACTICES AGAINST HATE CRIMES FIVE STATE AND LOCAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

May 2000

NCJ 181425

Prepared by Stephen Wessler Center for the Study and Prevention of Hate Violence University of Southern Maine 1-Promising Practice monog. 6/29/00 10:16 AM Page iii

Contents

Executive Summary ...... v Training and Support for Law Enforcement Professionals ...... v Meeting the Needs of Victims...... v Addressing Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents Among Youth...... v

I. Introduction ...... 1

II. The Center’s National Institutes Against Hate Crimes ...... 3 The Institutes’ 4-Day Program at the of Tolerance. . . . . 3 Continuing Efforts of the Institutes—The Creative Use of the Internet...... 5 Summary...... 5

III. The Victim Assistance Project in San Diego ...... 7 The First Step—Immediate Response...... 7 The Second Step—Followup Contact...... 7 The Third Step—Weeks 2 Through 4 ...... 8 Summary...... 8

IV. The County District Attorney’s JOLT Program ...... 9 Prevention ...... 9 Early Intervention ...... 10 Prosecution ...... 11 Summary ...... 11

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V. The Maine Department of the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Team Project ...... 13 Trainings and Workshops ...... 13 Mini-Grants ...... 14 Statewide Conferences ...... 14 Summary ...... 14

VI. The Massachusetts Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crimes ...... 15 The Civil Rights Team Program ...... 15 Stop the Hate Week ...... 16

VII. Conclusion ...... 17

VIII. For More Information ...... 19

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Executive Summary

The five demonstration programs Meeting the Needs of Hate described in this monograph are Crime Victims among our nation’s most promising models for confronting and reduc- • The San Diego Police ing hate crime. These programs, Department and the Anti- funded by the Bureau of Justice League’s Victim Assistance, Office of Justice Assistance Project—Responds Programs, U.S. Department of to hate crime victims’ emotional Justice, were developed by state and practical needs. When a and local agencies. The first pro- hate crime is reported in San gram provides training to law Diego, a trained victim assis- enforcement professionals; the sec- tance volunteer from the San ond program addresses the needs Diego Police Department is of hate crime victims; and the last called to the scene to provide three programs focus on bias emotional support and to coor- among youth, with an emphasis on dinate services for pressing removing hate from public schools. needs such as transportation, counseling, and medical atten- Training and Support for tion. The project’s victim assis- tance coordinator then works Law Enforcement with the investigating detective Professionals to provide followup contact with • The ’s the victim for weeks after the National Institutes Against incident. Hate Crimes—Brings together multidisciplinary teams of law Addressing Hate Crimes enforcement professionals from and Bias Incidents Among cities, regions, and states for a Youth 4-day intensive course at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los • The Los Angeles County Angeles, . By the end District Attorney’s JOLT of the course, each team has Program—Combines a compre- developed a comprehensive, hensive training program for coordinated plan for addressing faculty and staff at K–12 schools hate crimes in its community. to recognize and deal with hate

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problems, a diversion program elementary schools. More than for juveniles who are involved in 1,900 students in 133 schools bias incidents and less serious statewide have participated. hate crimes, and aggressive prosecution of teenagers who • The Massachusetts Governor’s commit serious hate crimes or Task Force on Hate Crimes— fail to complete the diversion Uses civil rights teams in high program. schools that are similar to the teams that have been estab- • The Maine Department of the lished in the Maine project. Attorney General’s Civil Rights The Task Force also promotes Team Project—Uses teams of Stop the Hate Week throughout students and faculty members to the Commonwealth and has promote awareness of bias and sponsored a variety of student- prejudice in Maine’s public high directed events focusing on hate schools, middle schools, and and bias prevention in schools.

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I. Introduction

of the Know Nothings in the 1850s, the bloody rampages of the newly THE IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES IS DEV- born in the South ASTATING TO INDIVIDUAL VICTIMS, during Reconstruction, and the ENTIRE COMMUNITIES, AND, INDEED, intimidation, beatings, and killings TO THE NATION AS A WHOLE. HATE of southern blacks and civil rights workers in the 1960s stand as only CRIMES, HOWEVER, ARE BEING CHAL- a partial testament to our nation’s LENGED IN COUNTLESS WAYS ACROSS THIS tragic experience with hate and COUNTRY BY STATE AND COUNTY PROSECU- violence. During the 1980s and TORIAL AGENCIES, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, 1990s and continuing into this decade, we have witnessed CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, hate crimes directed at African AND OTHERS. IT IS ONLY THROUGH THE Americans, gays and lesbians, , HARD WORK, AND PASSION women, Jews, Asian Americans, OF THE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO Latinos, Native Americans, and the physically and mentally disabled. WORK FOR THESE MANY INSTITUTIONS Some of these hate crimes— THAT WE WILL CONQUER HATE, BIAS, the murders of James Byrd, Jr., AND PREJUDICE. in Jasper, Texas, and Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming— —Nancy Gist have captured the nation’s head- Director lines, whereas too many others Bureau of Justice Assistance have occurred in virtual anonymity.

The persistence of hate crimes Bias, prejudice, and the violence throughout our history does not, they engender are not a new phe- however, mean that bias, prejudice, nomenon in America. The trial and and violence are intractable. Across execution of women suspected this country, people are developing of being witches in colonial New new ways to confront hate. A England, the brutal and often deadly monograph published by the treatment of Native Americans Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) by westward-moving European recently described six such innova- 1 Americans, the anti-Catholic fervor tive initiatives. This monograph

1 Stephen Wessler, February 2000, Addressing Hate Crimes: Six Initiatives That Are Enhancing the Efforts of Criminal Justice Professionals, Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice.

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describes five additional efforts • The Massachusetts Governor’s funded by BJA as demonstration Task Force on Hate Crimes, a sites. civil rights team project that sponsors student-directed • The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s events and Stop the Hate National Institutes Against Week in schools throughout Hate Crimes, an intensive 4-day the Commonwealth. course that brings together teams of law enforcement pro- Individually, each demonstration fessionals from cities, regions, project presents a new and creative and states to develop new and effort for confronting the nation’s coordinated initiatives to combat problem with hate crimes. Collec- hate crimes. tively, the programs demonstrate that multifaceted approaches are • The San Diego Police Depart- needed to confront, respond to, ment and the Anti-Defamation and prevent hate violence. The League’s Victim Assistance most effective approaches include Project, an innovative collabora- coordination among all compo- tion to provide victims of hate nents of the criminal justice sys- crimes with both immediate and tem, focused efforts to address emotional assistance. the needs of the victims of hate crimes, diversion programs for • The Los Angeles County youth, and activities encouraging District Attorney’s JOLT hate crime prevention in our Program, a comprehensive early schools. Ultimately, our success intervention, prevention, and in decreasing the number of hate diversion initiative addressing crimes will depend upon many teenage perpetrators of hate organizations, both governmental crimes and bias incidents. and private, using similarly creative • The Maine Department of the approaches to combating bias, Attorney General’s Civil Rights prejudice, and violence. Team Project, a statewide pro- gram for preventing bias, preju- dice, harassment, and violence that is used in more than 120 high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools.

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II. The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s National Institutes Against Hate Crimes

The Institutes’ 4-Day THE CONCEPT OF THE INSTITUTES IS Program at the Museum TO BRING TOGETHER TEAMS OF CRIM- of Tolerance INAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS IN LEAD- Each Institute hosts three to five ERSHIP POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE teams. Each team has six mem- bers: one judge or other repre- , AND CHALLENGE THEM, sentative of the judiciary, one INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A GROUP, TO FOR- prosecuting attorney, one public MULATE FRESH THINKING, CREATE NEW defender, one probation officer, STRATEGIC THEORY, AND DESIGN BLUE- and two law enforcement officers. Although most teams are from PRINTS FOR COLLABORATIVE ACTION. densely populated metropolitan areas such as greater —Liebe Geft Director City and Los Angeles County, some teams are from smaller, Simon Wiesenthal Center more rural states. Participants for the course are chosen for the lead- ership positions they hold within The Simon Wiesenthal Center, their communities and within their through its acclaimed Museum organizations. Each team is of Tolerance in Los Angeles, expected to formulate new strate- California, created the National gic approaches to combating hate Institutes Against Hate Crimes with crimes based on a fresh under- a grant from BJA. The Institutes standing of the unique elements utilize the Museum, a faculty of that differentiate hate crimes from nationally recognized experts on other criminal acts. hate crimes, and the Internet to conduct intensive training sessions Day 1 with teams of criminal justice offi- The program begins with a facili- cials from cities, regions, and tated tour of the Simon Wiesenthal states. Center’s Museum of Tolerance. The museum’s interactive exhibits allow participants to study the dynamics

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of bias, prejudice, oppression, and crimes. The panel includes repre- hate violence. Museum exhibits sentatives of the judiciary, prosecu- present in both his- tor’s office, public defender’s office, torical and contemporary contexts. probation department, and police Participants have frequently stated department. that the tour is a moving, thought- provoking beginning to their work. Day 2 The day begins with a presenta- For law enforcement profession- tion on contemporary hate groups, als, the tour is a unique opportuni- followed by a discussion of consti- ty to compare historic events to tutional issues surrounding the present-day situations they may enforcement of hate crime laws. encounter on the job. According A former member of an organized to museum Director Liebe Geft, the describes his or her tour encourages participants to personal history. The afternoon hold a mirror to themselves and session explores intergroup ten- confront closely held beliefs. sions and how those tensions affect In the afternoon, participants hate crimes, the different strategies hear and discuss the personal for combating hate crimes, and the experience of a victim of hate vio- process for reaching a consensus lence. Presenters have included among team members in selecting Holocaust survivors and an African the best strategies. American who as a child was involved in the desegregation of Day 3 the Little Rock, Arkansas, schools. Each team spends the third day One participant commented that working together to develop innov- hearing from a Holocaust survivor ative and coordinated strategies for demonstrated the “ability to trans- addressing hate crimes in their late personal horror into activism.” jurisdiction. The goal is to create a detailed blueprint for collaboration The remainder of the day is that can be implemented when devoted to sessions led by experts team members are back in their on different facets of hate crimes. communities. This effort is at the Topics include demographics, heart of the Institutes, and the most crime mapping, and the impact of important challenge for team hate crimes on victims and their members is to work together to communities. These sessions are implement the plan. followed by a panel and breakout group discussion of best practices in law enforcement to combat hate

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National Institutes Against Hate Crimes

Day 4 with the center’s staff, and to com- municate with one another. The The final day examines the Wiesenthal Center also plans to explosive growth in the use of the conduct two video conferences at Internet by hate groups. At the out- which the teams will share the break of the in 1990, results of their efforts. only one hate site existed on the Internet. In January 2000, there were more than 2,000 such sites. Summary The Simon Wiesenthal Center Continuing Efforts of the plans to conduct at least 10 Institutes—The Creative Institutes in 2000. What sets these programs apart is not only their Use of the Internet intensity but also their focus on The Simon Wiesenthal Center developing concrete strategies for has developed an innovative implementing coordinated hate approach to using the Internet for crime prevention and response the Institutes’ participants. Each efforts. Participants’ access to participant is issued a personal sophisticated computer technology password to access the center’s allows teams from all over the customized Web site. The password country to share best practices as enables participants to obtain up- they begin the difficult job of con- to-date information and resources fronting hate crimes in their local on hate crimes, to stay connected communities.

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III. The Victim Assistance Project in San Diego

Diego Victim Assistance Project addresses both the immediate and WE WANT TO SEND A STRONG MES- the emotional needs of victims of SAGE: WE ARE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE hate crimes in a comprehensive, HATE CRIMES IN SAN DIEGO. citywide program.

—David Bejarano The First Step— Chief of Police San Diego Police Department Immediate Response The first response of a San Diego police officer to a hate crime is to HATE CRIMES ARE MESSAGE CRIMES. call in an Anti-Defamation League- THE MESSAGE THEY CARRY IS, “YOU DON’T trained crisis interventionist who works directly with victims at the BELONG HERE; YOU DON’T MATTER.” THE scene of a crime. At the scene, the MESSAGE WE MEAN TO CONVEY IS JUST THE crisis interventionist confers with OPPOSITE: “THOSE WHO WOULD MAKE the officer and then meets with the OUR PEOPLE AFRAID AND DIVIDE OUR victims to talk about their needs. Frequently, the initial need of vic- COMMUNITIES WILL NOT SUCCEED.” tims is validation of their feelings of anger, fear, and isolation. The —Morris Casuto Director crisis interventionist addresses San Diego Regional Office, this need and determines what Anti-Defamation League tangible support the victims require, often staying with them long after the responding officer Individuals who are targeted has taken a report. because of their racial identity, reli- gion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual The Second Step— orientation, gender, or physical or Followup Contact mental disability not only suffer On the following day, the crisis physical injury and property dam- interventionist contacts the victim age but also frequently feel intense assistance coordinator, who man- fear and isolation. For many hate ages and coordinates the Victim crime victims, this emotional Assistance Project’s response to degradation leaves deeper scars hate crime victims. The victim than physical injury. The San

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assistance coordinator immediately Regular updates on the investiga- calls or visits the victims to assess tion are also provided at this stage their needs for ongoing services. by the investigating detective. The The detective investigating the inci- victim assistance coordinator’s reg- dent also contacts the victims at ular contact with victims usually this time. This followup is crucial ends at this point. for two reasons: It provides contin- uing emotional support and it allows the victim assistance coordi- MOST VICTIMS OF HATE CRIMES ARE nator to assess the victims’ chang- INJURED NOT ONLY EXTERNALLY BUT ing needs and to make referrals to community organizations and ser- ALSO TO THE SOUL. WE WANT TO HELP vice providers. REPAIR THEIR SOULS AND BRING THE COM- MUNITY TOGETHER. TOO OFTEN, VICTIMS As part of this project, the victim assistance coordinator has devel- OF HATE CRIMES DON’T KNOW WHERE TO oped a list of community-based GO. THAT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM IN SAN organizations and other service DIEGO. providers who arrange services at no or reduced cost to victims —Morris Casuto of hate crimes. These services Director include repainting homes, religious San Diego Regional Office, buildings, or other institutions Anti-Defamation League defaced by hate graffiti; fixing or replacing windshields broken by vandals; repairing or replacing locks; and moving victims to new Summary housing. The San Diego Victim Assistance Project is special because it com- The Third Step— bines immediate response to the needs of hate crime victims with Weeks 2 Through 4 followup contact and services for The third step in the project several weeks after a hate crime occurs 2 to 4 weeks after a hate has occurred. Moreover, the project crime. During this period, the vic- is one of the few that focuses tim assistance coordinator discuss- simultaneously on victims’ two es the status of the investigation different types of needs: the with the detective and calls or visits emotional and the tangible. Most victims to report on how the case important, it sends a strong is progressing. The victim assis- message to perpetrators of hate tance coordinator reassesses crimes that their bias, prejudice, whether the victims have ongoing and violence are not tolerated in emotional or practical needs San Diego. and makes appropriate referrals.

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IV. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s JOLT Program

Prevention EVERY STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO JOLT’s prevention component ATTEND SCHOOL WITHOUT BEING has two separate parts. The first SUBJECT TO HARASSMENT OR WORSE involves intensive 2-day education- al workshops for school faculty, BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE, RELIGION, ETH- staff, and administrators at the NICITY, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY. SIMPLY of Tolerance in Los Angeles. The PUT, THE JOLT PROGRAM SEEKS TO ENSURE museum’s interactive Holocaust exhibits allow visitors to explore THAT EVERY STUDENT IS ABLE TO REALIZE issues of bias, prejudice, and hate THIS IMPORTANT AND BASIC GOAL. violence. Teachers are taken on a facilitated tour of the museum and —Gil Garcetti then participate in a workshop District Attorney focusing on valuing differences, Los Angeles County engaging in cross-cultural commu- nications, and developing specific tools for addressing these issues in The Los Angeles County District their curriculum. Attorney’s JOLT (Juvenile Offenders Learning Tolerance) Program is an The second part of JOLT’s pre- innovative hate crime initiative for vention component is onsite train- youth that combines prevention, ing at Antelope Valley schools. The early intervention, and prosecution. entire faculty, staff, and administra- JOLT focuses on hate crime in tion of elementary, junior high, and Antelope Valley, a sprawling com- high schools attend full-day work- munity 80 miles northeast of Los shops provided by the Los Angeles Angeles with a population of County District Attorney’s Office or 200,000 residents and 64 schools. the Facing History and Ourselves The region has one of the highest National Foundation. Facing History juvenile hate crime rates in Los and Ourselves, an organization that Angeles County and the state of develops curricula and workshops California. Juvenile hate crimes for teachers on bias, prejudice, have targeted the region’s African- harassment, and hate, was recog- American, Hispanic, and gay and nized in the President’s Initiative on lesbian populations. Race 1999 publication, Pathways to One America in the 21st Century:

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Promising Practices for Racial in bias-motivated conduct or a hate Reconciliation. crime and who show a degree of accountability, sign a JOLT con- A second workshop is conducted tract. Under the contract, they must by the Los Angeles County District (1) complete an intensive antihate Attorney’s Office using the curriculum, (2) attend a training Flashpoint curriculum. Teachers program focusing on anger man- are instructed how to incorporate agement and conflict resolution, the curriculum into elementary and (3) write letters of apology to the junior high school classes. The cur- victims, (4) fulfill a restitution riculum uses film, music, and writ- agreement, if appropriate, and (5) ten material to educate young attend school, receive satisfactory people about civil rights, biases, grades, and demonstrate good stereotypes, and . citizenship. Early Intervention The antihate curricula used in JOLT—one for juveniles and one JOLT’s early intervention pro- for their parents or guardians— gram is a preprosecution diversion were developed by the National program for juveniles 12 to 18 Conference for Community and years old who have engaged in Justice (NCCJ). The curriculum bias-motivated misconduct or have for juveniles is taught in 3-hour committed low-level hate crimes. sessions for 7 weeks. The sessions Juveniles are given the option of for parents are held for 10 weeks. being suspended or expelled from Both curricula focus on giving par- school or participating in the diver- ticipants a better understanding sion program. Similarly, the Los of their own biases and the impact Angeles County District Attorney’s of bias-motivated harassment, Office refers juveniles who have property damage, and violence been accused of committing less on victims. serious hate crimes to the program. The benefits are significant for Juveniles who elect to go through juveniles who complete the diver- the diversion program start with an sion program. They avoid the filing informal hearing in the County of a petition in juvenile delinquency District Attorney’s Office, accompa- court and are allowed to return to nied by their parents or guardians. or remain in school. More impor- The hearing process is held within tant, they begin to understand the a week of the referral to show juve- destructive consequences of their niles that their conduct has imme- hate and the need to view diversity diate consequences. Juveniles who in their community from a different are determined by the District perspective. Attorney’s Office to have engaged

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The JOLT Program

Prosecution Summary The final component of the JOLT What sets JOLT apart is its com- Program is prosecution for three prehensive approach to addressing types of juveniles. Juveniles who bias-motivated misconduct by have committed serious, often vio- juveniles at a variety of levels. The lent, hate crimes are categorized as program helps teachers incorporate hardcore offenders and are consid- issues of diversity and respect into ered to be unsuitable for the diver- the classroom, gives juveniles an sion program. This category also alternative to the court process, includes juveniles who have and protects the community by engaged in two or more incidents prosecuting juveniles who have of bias-motivated misconduct. committed serious, violent crimes Juveniles who are referred to or who refuse to participate in edu- JOLT but refuse to sign the JOLT cational or diversion activities. contract are also dealt with in this component. The final category includes juveniles who sign the JOLT contract but fail to meet its requirements.

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V. The Maine Department of the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Team Project

from BJA, the project expanded to 58 schools and has continued NO STUDENTS IN THIS STATE SHOULD to grow since then. As of the HAVE TO EXPERIENCE ANXIETY, FEAR, 1999–2000 school year, more than OR TERROR IN THEIR ELEMENTARY, MID- 117 middle and high schools and 4 DLE, OR HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE elementary schools had developed civil rights teams. More than 1,700 COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, THEIR RELIGION, students in Maine now participate THEIR GENDER, THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTA- in civil rights teams. TION, THEIR DISABILITY, OR ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM Maine’s civil rights teams are made up of three or four students DIFFERENT FROM OTHER STUDENTS. THE per grade, plus two or three faculty SECRET TO THE SUCCESS OF THE CIVIL advisers. The teams have two for- RIGHTS TEAM PROJECT IS LAW ENFORCE- mal responsibilities. First, they MENT WORKING TOGETHER WITH TEACHERS promote awareness of bias and prejudice within their schools. AND ADMINISTRATORS TO EMPOWER STU- Second, they organize forums for DENTS TO STAND UP FOR CIVILITY AND students to talk about harassment. RESPECT. THE CONCEPT IS SIMPLE; THE If a team receives information about harassment, it is charged CONCEPT IS POWERFUL; AND THE CONCEPT with forwarding that information to WORKS. a responsible teacher or adminis- trator. The Attorney General’s —Andrew Ketterer office assigns a community adviser Attorney General State of Maine to each team to serve as liaison between the team and the Depart- ment of the Attorney General.

In fall 1996, the Maine Attorney General used BJA funds to start Trainings and Workshops the Civil Rights Team Project in 18 Maine’s Department of the middle and high schools. The pro- Attorney General provides full-day ject addressed school-based bias, training each fall for new and prejudice, harassment, and vio- returning civil rights teams and for lence. In 1997, with a larger grant faculty and community advisers.

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These trainings, which are con- program that provides civil rights ducted by staff of the Department teams up to $300 for projects of the Attorney General using the addressing bias, prejudice, and office’s own curriculum, include the harassment. Civil rights teams have following: used these grants to buy materials for bulletin boards focusing on civil • A presentation on the type of rights issues; to pay for speakers hate crimes committed in Maine on civil rights issues; to produce schools. documentary films showing the importance of preventing bias, • Interactive exercises on the role prejudice, and harassment; and to of degrading language and slurs fund numerous other projects. in escalating a situation to seri- ous harassment and violence. Statewide Conferences • A presentation by a Holocaust Each spring, the Department survivor or a victim of bias and of the Attorney General holds a prejudice in Maine. statewide conference for all of the civil rights team students and their • Role-playing exercises on how advisers. In spring 1999, more than to run effective civil rights team 1,000 students attended the confer- meetings. ence, which was held at the Civic • Small group work on real-life Center in Augusta, the state capital. scenarios. Students attended plenary and breakout sessions on understanding • Plans for the upcoming year. different aspects of diversity and developing skills to pursue civil Every school participating in rights causes within their schools. the civil rights team project agrees to host the Department of the Summary Attorney General for a half-day The success of the Maine Civil workshop for faculty, administra- Rights Team Project lies in its abili- tors, and staff. The workshop gives ty to tap the energies of the large teachers and other school staff number of students who are com- a better understanding of the mitted to ensuring that schools are destructive impact of degrading places where respect for difference language and bias-motivated is valued and where no student harassment and teaches them how should be scared because of to intervene when students engage harassment or violence. Increas- in such behavior. ingly, student civil rights team members are becoming leaders Mini-Grants in their schools in confronting The Department of the Attorney harassment and promoting diversi- General has developed a mini-grant ty and respect for difference.

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VI. The Massachusetts Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crimes

The Massachusetts Governor’s In mid-October 1999, NCCJ Task Force on Hate Crimes has conducted a 2-day training pro- initiated a two-part school project gram for more than 100 students focusing on preventing hate vio- and faculty advisers. The work- lence. The first component of the shop’s activities increased the stu- program was the establishment dents’ understanding of their own of civil rights teams in seven biases and prejudices and taught Massachusetts high schools in fall them skills to make their schools 1999. The second component, more accepting of difference and scheduled for May 1–7, 2000, is ultimately safer. NCCJ and the Stop the Hate Week, a public Task Force also developed a cur- awareness and education campaign riculum for training teachers on targeting schools and communities how to reduce bias, prejudice, throughout the Commonwealth. harassment, and hate violence in BJA has provided funding for both their schools. During 2000, the components of the project. Task Force will conduct half-day workshops for faculty, staff, and The Civil Rights Team administrators at each of the seven Program schools with civil rights teams. In early fall 1999, the Task Force The Governor’s Task Force selected seven pilot high schools as is creating a Web site (www. sites for civil rights teams. The civil stopthehate.org) for the project. rights teams are located in high The site has two components: The schools throughout the Common- first provides public information on wealth. The teams, which have the Task Force’s programs, and the 12 to 18 students, work in their second is accessible by civil rights schools to promote an understand- teams with a private password. ing of diversity and to decrease This site will permit student mem- school-based bias, prejudice, and bers of civil rights teams in Maine, harassment. Massachusetts, and West (which established a civil rights The Task Force partnered with team project in 15 schools in 1999 the National Conference for through its Attorney General’s Community and Justice to develop Office) to communicate with one curricula and conduct training for another. the seven civil rights teams.

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Stop the Hate Week and educational activities such as art exhibits on civil rights history; In the first week of May 2000, speaking events featuring survivors the Task Force, in conjunction with of the Holocaust; community the seven participating civil rights forums in Boston, Worcester, and teams, will sponsor Stop the Hate Springfield; and a variety of pro- Week in middle and high schools grams directed and sponsored by throughout the state. The event will students themselves. The Task distribute hate crimes curricula to Force expects to disseminate pub- schools throughout Massachusetts lic service announcements to and promote “bystander responsi- media outlets statewide focusing bility” for acting against bias, prej- on civil rights issues and respect udice, and hate crimes. Stop the for differences. Hate Week will also include cultural

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VII. Conclusion

of violence and harassment based on racial and ethnic identity, reli- NO ONE APPROACH EXISTS TO CON- gion, nationality, sexual orientation, FRONTING AND PREVENTING HATE gender, and disability occur in CRIMES IN THIS NATION. RATHER, HATE every type of American communi- CRIMES WILL ONLY BE SUCCESSFULLY ty, from the inner city to the small- ADDRESSED WHEN COUNTLESS PEOPLE est rural town. But in the face of this violence, communities are THROUGHOUT THE STATES WORK 50 fighting back. TOGETHER TO DEVELOP APPROACHES THAT Like the organizations and com- ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR LOCAL COM- munity leaders cited in this mono- MUNITIES AND WORK INDIVIDUALLY TO graph, schools, civil rights groups, DEVELOP THE COURAGE AND SKILLS TO police departments, prosecutors’ SERVE AS ROLE MODELS OF CIVILITY AND offices, county and local govern- ments, and neighborhood organiza- RESPECT. WE HOPE THAT OTHERS WILL tions are taking action against TAKE THE PROGRAMS DESCRIBED IN THIS hate-motivated violence. Their MONOGRAPH AS GUIDEPOSTS FOR DEVEL- innovative programs often take dif- OPING THEIR OWN PROGRAMS TAILORED ferent approaches, tapping each community’s unique resources. TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. However, these communities are bound together by their creativity —Rose Ochi Director and by the dedication of the grow- Community Relations Service ing number of men, women, and U.S. Department of Justice youth who passionately devote their time and energy to confront hate crimes. BJA will continue to highlight these promising and BJA and every component of the effective programs, providing U.S. Department of Justice have resources and ideas to other com- made it a priority to stop hate- munities combating hate violence. motivated violence. Disturbing acts

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VIII. For More Information

Please use the contact information Los Angeles County District below to learn more about the Attorney’s JOLT Program programs discussed in this Linda Baek, Deputy District monograph. Attorney/JOLT Program Manager 320 West Temple Street Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Room 780–29 National Institutes Against Los Angeles, CA 90013 Hate Crimes 213–893–2118 Liebe Geft, Director Museum of Tolerance Maine Department of the Attorney 9760 West Pico Boulevard General’s Civil Rights Team Los Angeles, CA 90035–4572 Project 310–553–8403 Thomas Harnett, Assistant World Wide Web: Attorney General www.wiesenthal.com/ 6 State House Station Lucinda Freeman, Project Augusta, ME 04333 Coordinator 207–626–8848 310–772–7619 E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] World Wide Web: San Diego Police Department and www.state.me.us/ag/crt/crt.htm Anti-Defamation League’s Victim Assistance Project Massachusetts Governor’s Task Anna M. Knuth, Officer Force on Hate Crimes San Diego Police Department Christina Bouras, Executive Director 1401 Broadway Governor’s Task Force on San Diego, CA 92101–5729 Hate Crimes 858–573–5040 c/o Executive Office of Public Safety, or Programs Division Morris Casuto, Director 1 Ashburton Place, Suite 2110 San Diego Regional Office, Boston, MA 02108 Anti-Defamation League 617–727–6300, Ext. 25339 7851 Mission Center Court World Wide Web: Suite 320 www.stopthehate.org San Diego, CA 92108–1328 619–293–3770

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PROMISING PRACTICES AGAINST HATE CRIMES

For information from other organi- Facing History and Ourselves zations that are addressing hate National Foundation crimes, please contact any of the 16 Hurd Road organizations listed below. Brookline, MA 02146 617–232–1595 Anti-Defamation League Fax: 617–232–0281 823 Plaza New York, NY 10017 Federal Bureau of Investigation 212–490–2525 J. Edgar Hoover Building 10th Street and Pennsylvania Arab American Institute Avenue NW. 918 16th Street NW., Suite 601 Washington, DC 20535 Washington, DC 20006 202–324–1143 202–429–9210 Fax: 202–429–9214 Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Bureau of Justice Assistance Services Division 810 Seventh Street NW., Attn: Uniform Crime Reports Fourth Floor 1000 Custer Hollow Road Washington, DC 20531 Clarksburg, WV 26306 202–616–6500 304–625–4995 Fax: 202–305–1367 Fax: 304–625–5394

Bureau of Justice Statistics Human Rights Campaign 810 Seventh Street NW. 919 18th Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Washington, DC 20006 202–307–0765 202–628–4160 Fax: 202–307–5846 Fax: 202–347–5323

Community Relations Service International Association of U.S. Department of Justice Chiefs of Police 600 E Street NW., Suite 2000 515 North Washington Street Washington, DC 20530 Alexandria, VA 22314–2357 202–305–2935 703–836–6767 Fax: 202–305–3009 Fax: 703–836–4543

Disability Law Center National Asian Pacific American 11 Beacon Street, Suite 925 Legal Consortium Boston, MA 02108 1140 Connecticut Avenue NW., 617–723–8455 Suite 1200 Fax: 617–723–9125 Washington, DC 20036 202–296–2300 Fax: 202–296–2318

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For More Information

National Conference of Christians National Women’s Law Center and Jews 11 Dupont Circle NW., Suite 800 71 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20036 New York, NY 10003 202–588–5180 212–206–0006 Fax: 202–588–5185 Fax: 212–255–6177 Office of Juvenile Justice and National Congress of American Delinquency Prevention Indians 810 Seventh Street NW. 2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20531 Second Floor 202–307–5911 Washington, DC 20036 Fax: 202–307–2093 202–466–7767 Fax: 202–466–7797 Office for Victims of Crime 810 Seventh Street NW. National Council of La Raza Washington, DC 20531 1111 19th Street NW., Suite 1000 202–307–5983 Washington, DC 20036 Fax: 202–514–6383 202–785–1670 Fax: 202–776–1792 President’s Initiative on One America National Criminal Justice The Old Executive Office Building Association Washington, DC 20502 444 North Capitol Street NW., 202–395–1010 Suite 618 Washington, DC 20001 Simon Wiesenthal Center 202–624–1440 9760 West Pico Boulevard Fax: 202–508–3859 Los Angeles, CA 90035 310–553–9036 National Gay and Lesbian Fax: 310–553–8007 Task Force 1700 Kalorama Road NW. U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Washington, DC 20009–2702 624 Ninth Street NW., 202–332–6483 Suite 700 Fax: 202–332–0207 Washington, DC 20425 202–337–0382 National Network of Violence Fax: 202–376–7558 Prevention 55 Chapel Street U.S. Department of Education Newton, MA 02158 600 Independence Avenue SW. 617–969–7100 Washington, DC 20202 Fax: 617–244–3436 202–205–5557 Fax: 202–205–5381

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PROMISING PRACTICES AGAINST HATE CRIMES

U.S. Department of Housing and For additional information about Urban Development BJA programs, contact: 451 Seventh Street SW., Room 10000 Bureau of Justice Assistance Washington, DC 20410 Clearinghouse 202–708–0417 P.O. Box 6000 Fax: 202–708–2476 Rockville, MD 20849–6000 1–800–688–4252 Violence Against Women Office Fax: 301–519–5212 800 K Street NW., Suite 900 Washington, DC 20531 Clearinghouse staff are available 202–616–8894 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. Fax: 202–307–3911 to 7 p.m. eastern time. Ask to be placed on the BJA mailing list. Women’s Legal Defense Fund 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW., U.S. Department of Justice Suite 710 Response Center Washington, DC 20009 1–800–421–6770 or 202–986–2600 202–307–1480 Fax: 202–986–2539 Response Center staff are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern time.

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Bureau of Justice Assistance Information

General Information Callers may contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center for general informa- tion or specific needs, such as assistance in submitting grant applications and information on training. To contact the Response Center, call 1–800–421–6770 or write to 1100 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20005.

Indepth Information

For more indepth information about BJA, its programs, and its funding opportunities, requesters can call the BJA Clearinghouse. The BJA Clearinghouse, a component of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), shares BJA program information with state and local agencies and community groups across the country. Information spe- cialists are available to provide reference and referral services, publication distribution, participation and support for conferences, and other networking and outreach activities. The Clearinghouse can be reached by

❒ Mail ❒ BJA Home Page P.O. Box 6000 http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA Rockville, MD 20849–6000 ❒ NCJRS World Wide Web ❒ Visit http://www.ncjrs.org 2277 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 ❒ E-mail [email protected] ❒ Telephone 1–800–688–4252 ❒ JUSTINFO Newsletter Monday through Friday E-mail to [email protected] 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Leave the subject line blank eastern time In the body of the message, type: ❒ Fax subscribe justinfo 301–519–5212 [your name]

❒ Fax on Demand 1–800–688–4252 1-Promising Practicemonog.6/29/0010:16AMPagecov4

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