The Hate Crime-Violent Extremism nexus: An assessment of the relationship

Abstract

The past few decades have seen hate crime receive significant academic attention. Yet, while academics have researched the many aspects of hate crime, gaps still remain in the evidence base. This paper seeks to examine one of those gaps: the relationship between hate crime and violent extremism. To examine this relationship, the paper utilised a Rapid Evidence Assessment methodology. The authors searched multiple online databases with a focus on post ‘9/11’ literature through to December 2020, yielding a total of 38 articles. The research explored components of violent extremism and their similarities and differences to hate crime. Findings showed that while there is a relationship between hate crime and violent extremism, the nature and extent of this nexus is quite specific. Accordingly, by targeting the similarities between the two, practices and interventions that seek to prevent one may also be applied to the other.