Description of Indicator
The hate crimes data indicator tracks the number of reported hate crimes in the studied geographies and the bias motivation behind them. It is sourced from the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System.
Why is it Important?
Hate crimes have adverse physical and psychological effects on their victims. In addition, crime detracts from the quality of life of those who directly experience and witness it, impacting the lives of others within the community. It harms a region’s attractiveness as a place to live, work, and do business. This indicator reveals the extent of the need to mitigate the ill effects of hate crime victimization.
How is the Region Performing?
Lackawanna County has experienced a significant increase in hate crime reports since 2019, rising from one to 10. There were 269 reported hate crimes in Pennsylvania in 2023, compared to 83 in 2019. Across the three-county region, from 2019 to 2023, most hate crime bias motivation was related to race/ethnicity/ancestry (53.8 percent) and religion (38.5 percent). Pennsylvania experienced relatively similar shares of bias motives (47.9 percent and 33.3 percent, respectively).