Wednesday, April 30, 1997
No hate crimes reported in Abilene in 1996
Harte-Hanks Austin Bureau
AUSTIN - More hate crimes were reported statewide in 1996,
but none in Abilene, according to the state's Department of Public
Safety's newest crime report.
In 1996, Abilene police reported no hate crimes, although the
neighboring communities of Stamford and Sweetwater each reported
one hate crime. In 1995, none of those cities reported hate crimes,
DPS reports show.
Statewide, there were 350 hate crimes reported in 1996, compared
with 325 in 1995, an increase of 7.7 percent, DPS reports show.
Hate crimes - when victims are targeted mainly for race, sexual
preference, ethnicity or religious beliefs - are motivated by
hostility rather than economic or personal gain.
Officials say the growing numbers may simply reflect that Texans
are identifying - and actually reporting - hate crimes more.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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