It Takes All of Us: An Overview of the Maryland OAG’s Community-Based Approach to Combat Hate
It Takes All of Us: An Overview of the Maryland OAG's Community-Based Approach to Combat Hate
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | Room 350: 11:15 AM to 12:30 PM
Under Public Safety Law Section 2-307, law enforcement must report hate bias incidents and hate crimes, a broader standard than federal hate crime requirements. Between 2021 and 2022, Hate Bias Incidents increased 19.8 percent in Maryland, and have steadily risen over the last few years since 2016. The Maryland OAG has taken an innovative approach partnering with community organizations and state agencies, securing more than $800,000 in grant funds from the Department of Justice to respond and prevent hate in the State of Maryland. Efforts include informing communities on how to report a hate crime or hate bias incident through our new hate crimes portal, running the State Hate Crime Commission, tasked with providing strategies and recommendations to combat hate to the Maryland General Assembly and the State Department of Education annually; law enforcement training; regional forums; and reporting mechanisms. It is important to inform the legal community of these initiatives as a resource to their clients and networks.
Panelists:
- Jennifer Frederick, Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention, Maryland Office of the Attorney General
- Lauren Pruitt, FreeState Justice
- Sheriff Everett L. Sesker, Office of the Sheriff, Anne Arundel County
Moderator: Cleveland L. Horton, II, Maryland Commission on Civil Rights