At its most fundamental level, hate violence is an aggressive expression of prejudice against another person or group of people simply because of who and what they are.
The hate crime phenomenon presents complex and agonizing problems to communities nationwide. The problem has become more visible as federal and state officials increasingly track hate violence.
American communities have learned the hard way that failure to address bias crimes can cause an isolated incident to fester and result in widespread tension. Hate crimes are unique because they have a special emotional and physical impact that extends beyond the original victim. They intimidate others in the victim's community, causing them to feel isolated, vulnerable, and unprotected by the law. By making members of a specific group fearful, angry and suspicious, these crimes polarize cities and damage the very fabric of our society.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hate Crimes and Hate on the InternetFederal Overview - What is the federal response to hate crimes? 
