Hate Crimes Are Extremely Difficult to Convict, Says California Attorney General Rob Bonta

By Sunita Sohrabji | Special To The OBSERVER FRESNO, California — An increasing number of hate crimes are being reported in California, but convictions continue to remain low, said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Speaking to Ethnic Media Services here on the sidelines of the United Against Hate summit at Fresno City College, Bonta noted that hate crimes are notoriously difficult to prosecute. “They require a proof of intent. By design, a hate crime must originate with the hate element, which is often difficult to establish,” he said. “Hate crimes are an augmentation of sentencing: it is seen as something additional. You’re already charging assault or battery,” said Bonta, noting that a successful hate crime conviction might add 2 to 5 years to a sentence. He urged victims of a hate crime to gather up as much evidence as possible and to get details. Low Conviction Rates Last June, Bonta’s office released the 2022 Hate Crime in California Report. The report noted that reported hate crime events in the state increased 20.2%, from 1,763 in 2021 to 2,120 in 2022. Hate crimes targeting Black people remained the most prevalent and increased 27.1% from 513 in 2021 to 652 in 2022,...