Garland orders DOJ review of hate crime efforts amid Asian American attacks
By Rebecca Beitsch - 03/30/21 03:10 PM EDT Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday ordered a 30-day review to assess the government’s response to tracking hate crimes amid an uptick in violent acts targeting Asian Americans.
"The recent rise in hate crime and hate incidents, particularly the disturbing trend in reports of violence against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community since the start of the pandemic, requires renewed energy,†Garland wrote in a memo to Justice Department employees.
“We must recommit ourselves to this urgent task.â€
The memo gets at a persistent problem for law enforcement: many local law enforcement agencies across the country report zero hate crimes in their precinct, leaving many advocates to argue officers are failing to report instances where bias played a motivating role in a crime.
It orders an examination of the federal government’s capacity to track such incidents, including how DOJ can increase compliance with reporting requirements.
Garland’s memo doesn’t mention the shooting in Atlanta where six people of Asian descent were killed as a shooter stormed three different area spas. The shooter denied that race played a role in his crime.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/545602-garland-orders-doj-review-of-hate-crime-efforts-Asian-American
