A recent study by High Rise Financial has ranked South Carolina as the state with the second-lowest rate of reported hate crimes in the U.S. The study used data from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer for 2022, showing that South Carolina averages 1.14 hate crime incidents per 100,000 residents.
In total, the state reported 60 hate crimes, with Anti-Black or African American incidents being the most common, making up 16 of those crimes. Anti-White hate crimes followed, with 10 reports.
Alaska had the lowest rate of hate crime reports, with only 1.13 incidents per 100,000 residents. The state reported five hate crimes, with anti-Jewish incidents making up 40% of them. Arkansas ranked third, with 1.17 incidents per 100,000 residents, and saw a mix of Anti-White, Anti-Black, and anti-gender non-conforming hate crimes.
A spokesperson from High Rise Financial noted that factors like population size and local laws can affect hate crime numbers. For example, states like New York and California, which have larger populations of Jewish residents, report more hate crimes related to that group.
The spokesperson also explained that different states have varying laws that recognize different types of bias, which impacts how crimes are reported and categorized.
The study also mentioned that some states have stronger penalties for hate crimes, which can encourage more reporting. Additionally, there are victim support programs available to help those affected by hate crimes.