Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home Hate Crime 2012 Topic Pages Location Type

Location Type

Download Printable Document

Agencies may specify the location of an offense within a hate crime incident as one of 44 location designations. However, not all reporting agencies have made the programming change to allow these additional locations designations; therefore, the data collected to date are not yet representative of all location designations. The location designations of the hate crime incidents reported in 2012 (based on Table 10) were:

  • 32.6 percent of hate crime incidents occurred in or near residences or homes.
  • 18.3 percent took place on highways, roads, alleys, or streets.
  • 8.3 percent happened at schools or colleges (based on three designations).
  • 5.7 percent took place in parking/drop lots/garages.
  • 4.1 percent occurred in churches, synagogues, or temples.
  • 1.8 percent transpired in bars or nightclubs.
  • 1.8 percent took place in restaurants.
  • 1.6 percent occurred in commercial office buildings.
  • 1.3 percent happened in air/bus/train terminals.
  • 1.2 percent occurred in convenience stores.
  • 10.5 percent happened in the remaining specified location categories or in multiple locations.
  • 12.8 percent occurred in other/unknown locations.

Location by bias motivation

Racial bias

Law enforcement reported 2,797 hate crime incidents motivated by racial bias in 2012. Of these:

  • 35.0 percent took place in or near residences or homes.
  • 19.9 percent occurred on highways, roads, alleys, or streets.
  • 9.0 percent happened at schools or colleges (based on three designations).
  • 6.8 percent took place in parking/drop lots/garages.
  • 1.9 percent occurred in restaurants.
  • 1.7 percent occurred in government/public buildings.
  • 1.6 percent occurred in bars/nightclubs.
  • 1.4 percent occurred in commercial office buildings.
  • 1.4 percent happened in air/bus/train terminals.
  • 12.6 percent took place in the remaining specified location categories or in multiple locations.
  • 8.7 percent occurred in other/unknown locations.

Religious bias

Of the 1,099 reported hate crime incidents that occurred due to a religious bias:

  • 26.7 percent happened in or near residences or homes.
  • 18.2 percent occurred in churches, synagogues, or temples.
  • 7.4 percent transpired at schools or colleges (based on three designations).
  • 7.1 percent took place on highways, roads, alleys, or streets.
  • 2.2 percent occurred in parking/drop lots/garages.
  • 1.3 percent took place in commercial office buildings.
  • 10.6 percent occurred in the remaining specified location categories or in multiple locations.
  • 26.7 percent took place in other/unknown locations.

Sexual-orientation bias

Law enforcement reported that bias motivation against a particular sexual orientation prompted 1,135 hate crime incidents in 2012. Of these:

  • 31.3 percent occurred in or near residences or homes.
  • 23.6 percent happened on highways, roads, alleys, or streets.
  • 8.6 percent transpired at schools or colleges (based on three designations).
  • 5.9 percent occurred in parking/drop lots/garages.
  • 3.6 percent took place in bars or nightclubs.
  • 2.5 percent took place in commercial office buildings.
  • 12.8 percent happened in the remaining specified location categories or in multiple locations.
  • 11.7 percent took place in other/unknown locations.

Ethnicity/national origin bias

Of the 667 hate crime incidents motivated by ethnicity/national origin bias as reported by law enforcement in 2012:

  • 31.9 percent occurred in or near residences or homes.
  • 21.0 percent took place on highways, roads, alleys, or streets.
  • 7.3 percent transpired at schools or colleges (based on three designations).
  • 6.9 percent happened in parking/drop lots/garages.
  • 2.1 percent took place in restaurants.
  • 2.1 percent happened in bars or nightclubs.
  • 2.1 percent took place in convenience stores.
  • 1.9 percent occurred in commercial office buildings.
  • 14.4 percent took place in the remaining specified location categories.
  • 10.2 percent happened in other/unknown locations.

Disability bias

Bias against individuals with a disability (either physical or mental) motivated 92 hate reported crime incidents in 2012. Of these:

  • 48.9 percent occurred in or near residences or homes.
  • 16.3 percent took place on highways, roads, alleys, or streets.
  • 5.4 percent occurred at air/bus/train terminals.
  • 4.3 percent happened in schools/colleges (based on three designations).
  • 3.3 percent took place at bars or nightclubs.
  • 2.2 percent occurred at department or discount stores.
  • 2.2 percent happened in fields/woods.
  • 2.2 percent took place at parking/drop lot/garages.
  • 8.7 percent transpired in the remaining specified location categories.
  • 6.5 percent happened in other/unknown locations.

Multiple-bias incidents

Six multiple-bias hate crime incidents were reported in 2012. Of these:

  • 3 occurred in or near residences or homes.
  • 1 happened on a highway, road, alley, street, or sidewalk.
  • 1 occurred in a drug store or doctor’s office/hospital.
  • 1 took place in a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque.