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Mission Statement: The mission of MIAAHC is to reduce the occurrence and ameliorate the consequences of hate crimes and bias incidents committed in the State of Michigan. In doing so, MIAAHC will provide or assist with education, training, coordination, data collection, and support to federal, state, local, and community-based entities whose functions include preventing, investigating, prosecuting, or otherwise responding to hate crimes and bias incidents. 
MIAAHC Terminology: In this document and the materials designed, developed and used to educate the public, MIAAHC adopts “hate crime” as the universal term to collectively refer to hate crimes/incidents and bias incidents/crimes. MIAAHC recognizes that while not all bias incidents will involve a hate crime, criminal incidents and/or criminal offenses may touch upon or involve conduct defined as a bias incident. MIAAHC recognizes too that this multifaceted process and interplay of persons, professions, opinions, and judgments, involving the same alleged events and information, can itself lead to strained relationships and heightened tension. The intent of MIAAHC is to address the harms cause by hate, prejudice, bias, and bigotry, to educate the public, and to ultimately employ systems to prevent such acts.
Hate Crime: A criminal act of intimidation, harassment, physical force, or threat of physical force, whether or not performed under color of law, directed against a victim or their advocate or property, motivated in whole or in part by bias against a protected group, based on the real or perceived race, color, ethnic background, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim. Hate crimes include those acts reported by a law enforcement reporting agency as involving a criminal incident, criminal offense, or both, as those terms are defined and used by the Michigan State Police in the Michigan Uniform Crime Reporting Program and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Uniform Crime Report.
Bias Incident: A non-criminal act, whether or not performed under color of law, directed against a victim or their advocate or property, motivated in whole or in part by bias against a protected group, based on the real or perceived race, color, ethnic background, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim. Bias incidents may be associated with a criminal incident, criminal offense, or both, as those terms are defined and used by the Michigan State Police in the Michigan Uniform Crime Reporting Program and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Uniform Crime Report. Perpetrator Intent: For MIAAHC, the perpetrator of a hate crime or bias incident has the intent of causing fear, intimidation, or additional pain/suffering to the victim or victim’s group or has the intent of deterring the victim or victim’s group from the free exercise or enjoyment of rights or privileges secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States or the State of Michigan.
| Principles: Hate crimes are acts motivated by prejudice and hatred. These acts affect the victim’s fundamental rights and the rights of the victim’s group, whether real or perceived. Perpetrators commit these acts to force victims to feel violated, depersonalized, and isolated, and ultimately deprive individuals of their sense of security and self-worth.
Hate crimes pose a unique danger to our society. Such acts can be particularly devastating not only because of the significant cost to the victim but also because of the polarizing effect that such acts have on a community.
| Goals: MIAAHC is committed to working together to secure the right of every person in this State to be free from hate crimes. MIAAHC is committed to supporting victims and assisting communities, organizations and groups that seek effective means to identify, combat and eliminate such acts. To achieve its mission, MIAAHC will:
(a) Coordinate federal, state and local law enforcement agency resources and unify law enforcement agencies with community resources in a manner necessary and appropriate to ensure a complete and effective response to hate crimes ;
(b) Use a community outreach approach to help ensure effective reporting, investigation, prosecution and referral of hate crimes, heal wounds in the community, and ultimately promote community safety;
(c) Expand hate crime education and training opportunities to include programs for law enforcement and community resources and classroom-based educational programs; and
(d) Improve data collection so Michigan can understand the scope of the problem, identify trends, and effectively deploy resources to combat hate crimes. |
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