Hate crimes in Florida were up in 2010 for the first time in five years but only by the smallest possible number from 148 in 2009 to 149 last year, according to a report released Tuesday by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The report also shows that Broward County led the way with 19 hate crimes last year, although the year-end figure was less than the county’s 2009 total. The report specifies that Broward hate crimes were based mostly on sexual orientation, with eight such incidents, then race, with six, and five based on religion.
While the statewide increase breaks a string of declining hate crimes – defined as crimes against people or property based on an individual’s race, religion, or sexual orientation –the total number was still the second lowest figure compiled since 1991, when hate crime statistics were first recorded in Florida.
According to the report, Miami-Dade had only 11 total crimes in 2010, with five categorized as racial, three based on religion and only one based on sexual orientation. Monroe County had only one reported case of a hate crime based on sexual orientation, according to the report.
Overall, race continues to be the number one motivation behind hate crimes in Florida with 46.3 percent of the cases attributed to it, according to report. Sexual orientation followed, accounting for 21.5 percent of the crimes. A total of 19.5 percent was based on religion and 12.7 percent was based on ethnicity/national origin.
The attorney general’s report is based on statistics released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement which submitted its figures in July.
