‘Disturbing’ rise in hate crimes reported at schools and colleges

HUNDREDS OF hate-related crimes have been committed at or near schools and colleges in the last two years – and the number is rising.

An investigation has found that in the last academic year alone, about five offences occurred for each day of the school year.

The research also indicated a 62 per cent hike in these types of crimes between 2015-16 and 2016-17. School leaders said was “disturbing” to see an increase, but argued that it is still relatively rare for the offences to take place in schools and colleges. Police said efforts had been made to improve recording systems, and to work with other agencies, which may largely account for the rise.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “It is disturbing to see an increase in reported hate crimes in schools and colleges. We fear this reflects a wider problem in society beyond the school gates.

“Over the past 18 months, school leaders have told us of a number of incidents in which pupils have been subjected to racial abuse by members of the public, away from school premises, as they go about their daily lives.

“It is relatively rare for hate crimes to actually take place in schools and colleges. Indeed, schools and colleges are havens of good values, promoting tolerance and respect, and often serving diverse communities.”

Police forces in England and Wales were asked how manyhate-related offences happened in their area where the location included the words “school” or “college”. In total, there were 1,487 crimes with a hate element at or near schools and colleges in the last two academic years, according to data provided by 29 forces.

West Yorkshire Police said there were 47 of the incidents in 2015-16, rising to 78 the following year. The force said it had improved the recording of hate crime and publicity may also have encouraged more victims to report incidents. West Yorkshire employs specialised hate crime coordinators to track down offenders and support victims.

In South Yorkshire, police recorded 21 school-related hate crimes in 2015-16 and 38 of the offences during 2016-17.

Nationally, 919 of the crimes occurred between September 2016 and July 2017 – about five for each day of the school year – and 568 for the same period of 201516. It suggests that the number of offences rose by almost two thirds during this timeframe, which covers the period before and after the Brexit vote.

Some crimes may have taken place near schools and colleges, rather than on school property, or been recorded with a school as the nearest reference point.

Police were asked for details of “flags” attached to offences which log them as being motivated by race and ethnicity, religion or beliefs, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity. Some crimes had more than one flag. By far the most common was race and ethnicity, accounting for 71 per cent of all flags recorded in the last two academic years, 201516 and 2016-17. Religion or belief accounted for nine per cent, the same proportion as sexual orientation; disability accounted for ten per cent and transgender identity one per cent.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for hate crime, added: “All police forces take a robust approach to reporting crime and reassuring victims. Significant efforts have been made to improve our recording systems and to enhance our partnerships with educators and charities that support victims.”