Targeted and Omitted: Institutional Role of Protecting Minoritized Religious Groups Against Hate Crimes

Abstract

Using data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program and the Department of Education Government Accountability Office (DOE GAO), this study examines the prevalence of hate crimes directed at Muslim, Sikh, and Jewish students and explores whether hate crimes increased during the 2016 presidential election and Trump presidency. In this study we aggregate these groups as minoritized religious groups (MRG) in institutions of higher education (IHE). Conceptually grounded in the minoritized religious and spiritual campus climate framework (MRSCC), the findings indicate that offenses and incidents directed at MRG peaked from 2016–2018, and there were discrepancies in the reporting processes. Further research is needed to better understand how hate crimes directed at MRG are reported and its impact on policy and professional practice so that leaders in IHE are better equipped to address hate crimes.