Many Teens Silent on Hate Crimes, Study Finds
By Michael Rosenwald, Globe Staff
Originally published in The Boston Globe, January 28, 2002
Massachusetts high school students significantly underreport instances of hate crimes on their campuses, according to a study being released today by the Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes.
About 400 students out of 4,059 students polled at 30 public schools across the state in 2000 said they were victims of hate offenses involving vandalism, assault, assault and battery, harassment, or sexual assault.
However, 30 percent of those students told no one about the offenses, according to the report.
''This study shows that we have to do a better job of allowing our students to get world-class educations,'' said James P. Jajuga, the state's secretary of public safety. ''You have to deal with external issues that students are obviously being confronted with.
"Certainly there is no larger issue than safety and security,'' he added.
Jajuga will release specific study findings this afternoon at Northeastern University, whose Center for Criminal Justice Research helped compile and analyze the data.
Along with Northeastern professors, Jajuga will also detail efforts to increase reporting—and decrease actual hate crimes in schools. One effort includes revamping the state's Web site, www.stopthehate.org, to include tools for educating students about hate crimes, and giving educators and police more resources to respond.
"I really think we have to do a better job of getting accurate information out to everyone,'' Jajuga said. ''The more education everyone has, the better off we will be.''
When students did tell someone about hate crimes, the study found, 60 percent told a friend, 29 percent told a family member, and 15 percent informed school personnel. Only 3 percent reported offenses to police. But it's the 30 percent who told no one that state officials are most concerned about.
"That's the number one issue,'' Jajuga said. ''Now we have a better picture of what's going on.''
