Hate crime progress

Katharine Quarmby

The government has agreed to alter the British Crime Survey so that all respond­ents who have been assaulted will be asked whether the incident was aggravated by hate, and, if so, what sort.

In another development, all police forces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now required (from last month) to record data on disability hate crime in the same way.

Superintendent Paul Giannasi, who advises on hate crime policy for the Home Office, said that while crimes against disabled people are often “rigorously investigated and skilfully prosecuted”, “the hate element has not always been recorded. I also believe that disability hate crimes are significantly under-reported to the police.”