Los Gatos Hate Crimes Increase in 2010

The FBI released its annual Hate Crime Statistics this week announcing that, overall, hate crimes in the country are holding steady, with 6,628 reported in 2010.

In 2009, there were 6,604 reported hate crimes.

In California, there were 1,015 reported hate crimes in 2009 and 1,092 hate crimes reported in 2010.

In comparison to other California areas, Silicon Valley had less hate crimes reported in 2010.

Cities like Cupertino and Gilroy didn't even make the list in 2010. Campbell only had one incident reported and Los Gatos six.

Here's a breakdown of the numbers of hate crimes, the type and in what quarter they took place:

Los Gatos

• Four race-related hate crimes reported.
• Two sexual orientation-related hate crimes reported.

All were reported in the first quarter of 2010 and reports were up from 2009 when there was only one hate crime reported:

• One ethnicity-related hate crime was reported in the third quarter of 2009.

According to Capt. Alana Forrest, all of the six cases, with the exception of one, were graffiti cases.

The graffiti occurred at two schools, a commercial building and two convenience stores and were primarily directed at multiple races with one being an anti-gay slur, Forrest said.

The exception, one assault case, was directed at a male who was perceived to be gay. The victim refused medical treatment at the scene. The suspect has not been apprehended, Forrest added.

Campbell

One religion-related hate crime was reported in the fourth quarter of 2010.

This is a drop from 2009, when Campbell had four incidents:

• One race-related hate crime reported;
• Two religion-related hate crimes reported;
• One sexual orientation-related hate crime reported.

Each of these crimes were reported in the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2009.

Cupertino

No hate-related crimes were reported in 2010, down from 2009 when two hate-related crimes were reported:

• Two religion-related hate crimes in the first and third quarters of 2009.

Gilroy

No hate-related crimes were reported in 2010, down from 2009 when one hate-related crime was reported:

• One race-related hate crime was reported in the second quarter of 2009.

San Jose

There were 24 hate crimes reported in San Jose in 2010, down from the 40 reported in 2009.

• Seven race-related hate crimes reported;
• Eight religion-related hate crimes reported;
• Six sexual orientation-related hate crimes reported;
• Three ethnicity-related hate crimes reported.

Four crimes were reported in the first quarter, four in the second quarter, nine in the third quarter and seven in the fourth quarter of 2010.

• 23 race-related hate crimes reported in 2009;
• 7 religion-related hate crimes reported in 2009;
• 9 sexual orientation-related hate crimes reported in 2009;
• 1 ethnicity-related hate crimes reported in 2009.

Information for this report was taken from the FBI's Hate Crime Statistics' website.