170,000 hate crimes go unreported in the UK each year, according to new research

Hate crimes are massively under reported, making it all the more difficult for police and other authorities to make an impact on the issue. Now, researchers at the University of Huddersfield have devised techniques that could result in much more accurate estimates. They have described the developments at a special seminar taking place during 2016’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Kris Christmann and Michelle Rogerson — who are members of the Applied Criminology Centre (ACC) at the University’s School of Human and Health Sciences — have collaborated on devising two tools that will aid the authorities. One will help to provide a realistic assessment of the true levels of hate crime. The other will enable accurate appraisals of the performance of the third-party reporting centres established in a variety of locations, following recommendations in the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report.