The FBI Pittsburgh field office, together with FBI headquarters and field offices throughout the nation, is engaged in a multifaceted statewide effort to build public awareness of hate crimes and encourage reporting to law enforcement. The strategy includes a public awareness campaign, community and media outreach, and law enforcement coordination, an FBI statement said.
The FBI is the lead investigative agency for criminal violations of federal civil rights statutes. “Hate crimes, defined as a traditional offense with an added element of bias, are the highest priority of the FBI’s civil rights program because of the devastating impact they have on families and communities,” the statement said. The bureau investigates hundreds of these cases every year, but hate crimes are often underreported to both federal and local law enforcement.
