Event Details

“Hate crime is the targeting of individuals, groups and communities because of who they are. It targets people because of elements which go to the core of their identities – their race, their religious beliefs (or lack of them), their disability, their sexual orientation or that they are transgender. Hate crime is also a crime against the groups and communities to which these people belong. Hate crime is a human rights issue, a threat to community cohesion and a rejection of our shared values.”
— ‘Hate Crime – The Cross Government Action Plan’, September 2009

“ Hate crime ruins people's lives and the government is determined to tackle it in all its forms. People should be free to express their identities without fear of harassment and crime simply because of who they are … The Hate Crime Action Plan will help ensure our response to these intolerable crimes is as effective as possible and create an environment that will give victims more confidence to report these crimes, knowing they will be taken seriously and acted on.”
— Alan Campbell, Home Office Minister, September 2009

Overview

Ten years on from the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, much progress has been made in tackling hate crime in the community with significant improvements in investigation processes and prosecution rates. Nevertheless, the Government has declared that much more must be done in order to achieve its vision of building communities where people can live without the fear of being persecuted based on their identity.

Underpinning its pledge to implement a long term strategy, the Government launched ‘Hate Crime – The Cross Government Action Plan’ (2009), to assist local partners in their responses to hate crime in their community. The Action Plan highlights the need to develop the limited evidence currently available on the nature and extent of hate crime and expand the good practice knowledge base. Seeking to build public confidence in the Criminal Justice System and increase reporting of hate crime, the Action Plan strives to improve prosecution rates and the support available to victims and witnesses of hate crime. It also underlines the need for greater multi-agency working in order to improve the identification, prevention and investigation of hate crime.

The general increase in homophobic hate crime has been brought into sharp focus recently with a number of high profile cases, whilst a 2008 report by YouGov found that one in five lesbian and gay people had been victims of homophobic aggression over the previous three years, yet three quarters of victims had not reported the incident to police. The Government is clear that more must be done, particularly in educating the public and challenging homophobic bullying in schools and the workplace. Greater visible and robust support from police is also vital to encourage victims to report incidents.

With reports of hate crime on the rise, this special symposium, hosted by the Centre for Parliamentary Studies, offers a timely opportunity for Local Authorities, community safety teams, equality and third sector practitioners and other stakeholders to assess current progress in tackling hate crime. The symposium will examine how to raise awareness within local communities and improve police training in identifying, investigating and recording hate crime with the goal of improving prosecution rates and building overall confidence in the Criminal Justice System. Delegates will have the opportunity to network, debate and share best practice in eradicating hate crime within every local community.

Programme

Who Should Attend?

• Police Hate Crime Units
• Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnerships
• Community Safety Officers
• Local Authority Officers & Councillors
• Police, Health & Fire Service
• Equal Opportunities Officers
• Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Practitioners
• Race Equality Councils
• Race Equality Practitioners
• HR & Organisational Development Professionals
• Disability Practitioners
• Student Welfare Advisers
• Local Education Authorities
• SEN Practitioners
• Campaigning Organisations
• Immigration Advisers
• Employee Relations Advisers
• Legal Advisers Community Cohesion Officers
• Community Engagement Officers
• Community Relations Advisers
• Refugee and Asylum Support Officers
• Private Sectors Employers
• Public Sector Employers
• Central Government Departments & Bodies
• Small Business Owners
• Regulatory Bodies
• Third Sector Practitioners
• Academics
• Social Inclusion Officers
• Neighbourhood Renewal Officers
• Trade Union Representatives