Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently signed Public Act 26-77, legislation from the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advocacy Council that aims to strengthen and modernize the state’s hate crimes laws. Alongside this new law, the state has launched the “Hate Is More Than a Word … It May Be a Crime” campaign in partnership with the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) at the University of Connecticut.
“Hate crimes are often underreported, and many people are unsure where to turn or whether what they experienced should be reported,” says Ken Barone, associate director of IMRP and an advisor of the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council. “Public awareness is an essential part of prevention and accountability.”
The campaign includes a public service announcement, produced by IMRP and Greenlight Productions/GO Agency, that helps Connecticut residents better understand what constitutes a hate crime. It also informs residents about Connecticut’s online hate crimes portal, where they can learn more about hate crimes, access educational resources, and report a bias or hate incident.
Connecticut’s Public Act 26-77 also formalizes IMRP as an official member of the council. Going forward, scholars at IMRP will use data from the online reporting portal to analysis reported information and develop targeted education and outreach efforts.
