Majority of hate crime victims in Harris County are unlikely to tell police, according to study – Houston Public Media

Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media

A recent Rice University study found that many victims of hate crimes in Harris County often decide not to report it to authorities, relying more on loved ones.

The Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research released a study from its Houston Population Research Center on Wednesday regarding victims of hate crimes in Harris County. The study surveyed approximately 5,000 people in the Houston area and found that victims were more likely to report the crime to family or friends than to the police.

Oftentimes, this family member or friend does not have the resources or training to properly support and guide a victim, according to the study. The study concludes that since Harris County has such a diverse population, more resources need to be dedicated to improving the public’s trust that hate crimes will not go unpunished.

According to the study, the Houston Police Department reported an average of about 39 hate crimes per year from 2018 to 2023. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reported a lower average of 15 per year from 2019 to 2022.

The study defined a hate crime as one motivated by bias or prejudice against a person for being a part of one or more of the eight federally protected groups. In the U.S., federal hate crime legislation defines these eight groups or characteristics as race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, and disability. The study also found that people’s personal experiences might not align with the legal definition of a hate crime. It defines these cases as “bias- and prejudice-motivated crime and incidents.”

Despite approximately 73% of the victims saying that they told someone about the crime, only 31% said they reported it to police. Victims said they were much more likely to tell a friend or a family member with 51% reporting that they had done so.

The most common reason for not reporting the crime to the police was because the victim believed that nothing would be done. Only about 24% of those surveyed cited low trust in law enforcement as their reason for not reporting.

Other findings from the study:

• 47% of residents had been the victim of a hate crime

• 69% of residents who reported being a victim thought it was motivated by one of the eight federally protected groups or characteristics

• 46% of victims believed they had been targeted based on their race or ethnicity

• 40% believed they were targeted because of their skin color

• 37% believed they were targeted based on their sex