Hate-Crime Levels in L.A. County at 15-Year Low

Hate crimes in Los Angeles County dropped to the lowest level in 15 years, the county's Human Relations Commission reported today.

The crimes declined for the third consecutive year — to 502 in 2004, down from 691 in the prior year. African-Americans, gays, and Jews were the groups targeted most heavily, but hate crimes against Latinos jumped 15% and 7% against Asians, according to the report.

"Hate crime motivated by prejudice against the victim's race, national origin or ethnicity continue to be the most common hate crime, followed by sexual orientation and religion-based hate crime," according to the report..

But the report recorded greater levels of conflict between African Americans, who were suspects in 78% of the anti-Latino crimes, and Latinos, who were suspects in 73% of the anti-black hate crimes.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-121205hate_lat,0,4375870.story?coll=la-home-local