Panel to Address Hate Crimes Issue
- Share via
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to convene regional human relations summits and to study the pattern of hate crimes in order to staunch a reported rise in bias crimes.
Last month, the county’s Commission on Human Relations reported hate crimes in the county had increased 25% in 1996. In the San Fernando Valley, hate crimes rose about 18%.
In a report, the human relations panel attributed most of the increase in bias crimes to improved reporting methods and on migrations of ethnic groups in which a previously dominant group is displaced by newcomers.
Several “clusters” of hate crimes were identified, in areas including Van Nuys, Palmdale and Lancaster.
In response, the board Tuesday voted to conduct special hearings in which community leaders, academics and local officials discuss issues underlying hate crimes.
The motion, submitted by Supervisor Mike Antonovich, also includes a provision for regional meetings to discuss inter-ethnic conflict. No dates or locations for the meetings have been set.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
