FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AG
TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1997                            (202) 616-2777
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

             STATEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO
    ON THE NEED TO COMBAT VIOLENCE BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Attorney General Janet Reno today issued
the following statement:

     "Recent reports, including data from the FBI, have shown a
disturbing rise in the number of hate crimes based on race,
color, national origin, religion and sexual orientation.  We must
work together to turn that trend around. 

     "Last year Congress took a positive step by extending until
2002 the Hate Crime Statistics Act, enabling the Justice
Department to collect hate crime statistics from state and local
law enforcement agencies.  The Act gives us a statistical measure
of hate crimes.

     "We take all hate crimes seriously and have made investigating 
and prosecuting hate crimes one of our top priorities.

     "We must also work to improve the ability of the Federal
government to respond.  Federal hate crime statutes do not now
permit us to prosecute offenses motivated by a victim's sexual
orientation.  But under the 1994 Crime Act, anyone who otherwise
violates federal law can serve a longer sentence if they
committed the offense because of the sexual orientation of the
victim.

     "We look forward to working with Congress and others to see
how we can improve the federal response to hate crimes in the
future."

     Reno's comments came as the National Coalition of Anti-
Violence Programs released data showing an increase in the 
number of hate crimes motivated by a victim's sexual orientation. 
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