"Ordinary" crimes are usually aimed at individuals. Hate crimes are aimed at
individuals and society. Ever since its development of model hate crimes legislation in
1981 -- based on "penalty-enhancement" for crimes motivated by bias -- ADL has
been the pioneer in the launching of hate crimes statutes as well as law enforcement
training programs. Furthermore, the League's educational efforts have engendered awareness
and credibility where once there was indifference and ignorance.
The 84th Annual National Commission Meeting in San Diego focused on hate crimes and
hate in the schools, highlighting ADL's legal and legislative responses to bias-motivated
violent crimes, and the series of state and local initiatives, as well as Federal
initiatives, that have been nationally recognized.
White House Conference on Hate Crimes. Launched to explore
the many social and legal issues raised by the subject of hate crimes, the Conference
included: President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Attorney General Janet Reno, ADL
National Chair Howard P. Berkowitz, ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman, and many ADL
staff members, among others.
Inevitably, ADL's remarkable efforts to counter hate crimes around the world -- through
model legislation, in school and peer-training programs, by providing information to the
law enforcement community, the media and the public -- were noted and praised.
The Conference was widely covered, with The New York Times running a photograph of
Chuenée Sampson, one of A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Institute's peer trainers from Brooklyn,
after she movingly introduced President Clinton by recounting how she learned to overcome
confusion and fear through ADL's powerful programs.
STOP THE HATE
STOP THE HATE, a project under the auspices of the A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Institute and
funded by a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, is a comprehensive,
practical -- and successful -- program that teaches high school students, teachers,
administrators and parents the skills for persuading others that bigotry, anti-Semitism
and racism are destructive to the self as well as to others. Role playing, performances,
class discussions -- the techniques of STOP THE HATE are dramatic, involving and
effective. And while adults are encouraged to be included in, and supportive of, these
activities, experience has taught the program's administrators that "kids learn best
from other kids" The project has been implemented in New York City, Los Angeles,
Omaha and San Diego.
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ON LONG ISLAND
After a spate of bias crimes and the threatened resurgence of the KKK on Long Island,
ADL's Regional Office spearheaded an alliance of more than 130 civil and human rights
organizations, religious and government agencies, to stand up against hate. The group
spread the word to community leaders and organizations, houses of worship and others to
mobilize Long Islanders for a Unity Rally to show solidarity and support for a hate-free
Long Island. The rally was so successful, it will now be an annual event.
IN NEW ORLEANS, OMAHA AND PHOENIX
ADL offices were instrumental in promoting passage of hate crimes laws in their states
in 1997.
IN MIAMI
After a public uproar over the University of Miami Law School's involvement in a campus
speech by a member of the Nation of Islam, ADL's Florida Regional Office co-sponsored a
"Hate in America" conference. Now the University of Miami holds ongoing programs
with ADL exploring dissemination of hate.
IN SAN DIEGO
Hate Crimes: A Report to the People of San Diego County, 1992-1995. A team consisting
of ADL staff and Board members, in association with the San Diego Regional Office, law
enforcement officials, and other concerned parties, prepared this in-depth examination of
local hate crimes. The report, widely disseminated, warned perpetrators that people of
goodwill are determined to confront and defeat them.
IN NEW YORK
The Juvenile Diversion Project, which originally began in ADL's New England Regional
Office, worked in 1997 with 12 bias-crime youth offenders. The program complements (and
sometimes replaces) incarceration, offers psychological counseling, education, and
community service to youthful perpetrators of hate crimes. ADL's program enables them to
reflect on their motives, understand the significance of their actions and learn to
respect other cultures.
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RESOURCES
Hate Crimes: ADL Blueprint for Action. Tactics for
countering hate crimes gathered from ADL Offices around the country, including training
programs, publications, videos, hate crimes legislation, community programs and other
materials.
1998 Hate Crimes Laws.Complete reference of the 41 states
and District of Columbia that have laws similar to or based on the ADL
"penalty-enhancement" model, essentially upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in
1993. It is a resource for law enforcement agencies, prosecutors' offices, state
legislators, educators, the media and others.
