“Hate crimes persist in our world and they are appalling. They have no place in our community. When these types of crime occur, their effects can reverberate throughout the entire community.”

— Harold Pryor, Broward State Attorney

“Hate crimes persist in our world and they are appalling. They have no place in our community. When these types of crime occur, their effects can reverberate throughout the entire community.”

— Harold Pryor, Broward State Attorney

The Broward State Attorney’s Office established the Hate Crimes Unit to combat crimes committed against residents or visitors to our community that are alleged to have occurred because of a defendant’s prejudice.

The Hate Crimes Unit also works with community partners and law enforcement agencies to identify those crimes, investigate and prosecute offenders, increase public awareness and reporting of these offenses, improve prevention and response efforts, and ultimately help victims.

What is a hate crime?

A hate crime is a criminal act or attempted criminal act by any person or group of persons against a person or the property of another person or group, which constitutes an expression of hatred toward the victim because of their personal characteristics. Personal characteristics include:

  • Race

  • Color

  • Religion

  • Ethnicity

  • Ancestry

  • National Origin

  • Sexual Orientation

  • Advanced Age

  • Homeless Status

  • Race

  • Color

  • Religion

  • Ethnicity

  • Ancestry

  • National Origin
  • Sexual Orientation

  • Advanced Age

  • Homeless Status

Under Florida’s hate crime law (Statute 775.085), when a crime is proven to have been committed based on prejudice due to the victim’s race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, or advanced age of the victim:

  1.  A misdemeanor of the second degree is reclassified to a misdemeanor of the first degree.
  2.  A misdemeanor of the first degree is reclassified to a felony of the third degree.
  3.  A felony of the third degree is reclassified to a felony of the second degree.
  4.  A felony of the second degree is reclassified to a felony of the first degree.
  5.  A felony of the first degree is reclassified to a life felony.

This may increase the punishment imposed.

Broward’s Anti-Hate Movement is Powered By Community Partnerships

[Videos courtesy of Bureau of Justice Hate Crimes Training & Technical Assistance Program the Resource Library, hatecrimestta.org/Resources]

Our Hate Crimes Hotline is 954-831-8059. (In an emergency, call 911.)

You can email the Hate Crimes Unit at: hatecrimesunit@sao17.state.fl.us

Contact the Hate Crimes Unit

If you want to report a potential hate crime, please contact us. Submit your name, contact information and a brief description of the incident.

Broward State Attorney’s Office Programs