Unfortunately, many people living in the UK have at some point in their lives had either personal or indirect experience of Hate Crime. A pointless and cruel crime that can not only leave victims with physical scarring but also psychological scarring which can devastate innocent people’s lives.

This excellent report explores the complexity of Hate Crime and illustrates to the reader that this is not an easy subject to either understand or address. For instance, the debate in the report about whether or not this type of violence is dealt as “crime” is an interesting one and determines the kind of intervention used by various agencies. For some this intervention is punitive, for others educational and for some restorative.
As outlined in the report, Restorative Justice can clearly play an important and effective role in addressing the issue of Hate Crime however this takes time and is not an instant fix. It is just one of many interventions outlined in the report which highlights the fact that Hate Crime is an issue for the whole community, not just the police.

ROTA is an excellent Third Sector organisation that punches well above its weight and plays a very important role in creating a fairer and more equal society in which to live. ROTA has once again dealt with a very complex and emotive issue in a clear and concise way while challenging the reader to consider their own perceptions of Hate Crime.

Tony Shepherd
CEO, Safer London Foundation
March 2008