US Attorney General launches 30 day review of how best combat hate crimes – Letter

Washington, Mar 31: US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a memorandum to Justice Department employees that he is launching a 30-day review of the department’s practices of fighting hate crimes in order to better investigate and prosecute such incidents.
“Today, I am launching a 30-day review to determine how the Department can deploy all the tools at its disposal in support of this effort,” the memorandum said on Tuesday. “We will persist in our effort to investigate and appropriately prosecute those who attack members of our communities, set fire to places of worship, or use the Internet to threaten bodily injury to other persons.”
The review will focus on better practices of hate crimes reporting, prioritization of criminal investigations and prosecutions as well as utilization of civil enforcement authorities for acts not amounting to the level of hate crimes.
Garland said the recent rise in hate crimes, especially in reports of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, requires more efforts to understand the evolving nature and extent of hate crimes in all their forms.

(AGENCIES)