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<p>The Government condemns all hate crimes and is committed to tackling these crimes
in partnership with the communities affected.</p><p>We have in place some of the strongest
legislation to tackle hate crime in the world – this includes specific offences for
racially and religiously aggravated activity and offences of the stirring up of hatred
on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation.</p><p>We also have stronger
sentences for hate crime. We continue to carefully consider the recommendations from
the Law Commission review into hate crime legislation. The Government has committed
to taking action to improve our response to hate crime.</p><p>This includes joint
training between the police and Crown Prosecution staff to improve the way the police
identify and investigate hate crime; building on the improvements to police recording
of hate crime by working with the police to break down religious-based hate crime
by religion; and working with victims and advocacy groups to improve victims confidence
to come forward and report such crimes.</p><p>The police are also improving their
operational practices and recording. Last year, the College of Policing published
Operational Guidance for officers responding to hate crime which comprehensively covers
how to address all forms of hate crime.</p><p>Hate crime statistics show number of
crimes recorded by the police by force area. The decision as to how hate crime is
resourced in individual forces is an operational matter for the Police and Crime Commissioner
for that area. The latest police funding settlement represents a fair deal for the
police and reinforces this Government’s commitment to protect the public. No Police
and Crime Commissioner who maximised precept income is facing a reduction in cash
funding this year.</p><p>Police and Crime Commissioners are also responsible for commissioning
local support services for victims of crime. The Ministry of Justice provides the
Commissioner with a grant to enable services which best meet the needs of local victims
of crime to be funded.</p><p>The Home Office published a new hate crime action plan
on 26 July 2016, which sets out Government action over the next four years to tackle
hate crime. It includes:</p><p>● new steps to boost reporting of hate crime and support
victims;</p><p>● new CPS guidance to prosecutors on racially aggravated crime;</p><p>●
a new £2.4 million fund for protective security measures at potentially vulnerable
places of worship;</p><p>● and additional funding to community organisations tackling
hate crime.</p><p>Nobody in this country should live in fear because of who they are
and anyone who experiences hate crime should report it to the police, either in person
at a police station, online through the True Vision website, or by phoning 101.</p>
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