Project to Combat Bias Violence

The Chicago Lawyers' Committee's Hate Crimes Project is the only comprehensive resource center on hate crime prevention and response in the Midwestern United States. A city-wide Advisory Board, consisting of attorneys who have represented victims and community activists representing diverse neighborhoods and constituents, provides guidance and assistance. 

The Project combats hate crime violent in several ways:

• Litigation: The Hate Crimes Project also provides free legal representation to victims of hate crime, both in criminal prosecutions of offenders and in civil suits. The Project has litigated several significant cases.
• Education: The Project trains both the general public and prosecutors on the Illinois Hate Crime Act, the importance of reporting, and the rights and needs of victims. Public forums and educational presentations are made in high-risk neighborhoods, utilizing the in-kind participation of police officers, community-based agency staff, private attorneys, clergy, community leaders, and health and social service professionals. Over 100 such outreach programs have been conducted, for more than 3,500 participants, in many ethnically and racially diverse communities in the Chicago area, the Midwest's largest immigration destination. Presentations are orally translated as needed, and hate crime information materials have been printed in 14 languages. Project staff and volunteers work with community-based coalitions long term to improve human relations when the need and capacity exist.
• Advocacy: The Project advocates for strong criminal prosecutions of perpetrators of bias violence and improved enforcement of the Illinois Hate Crime Act.

Click here to learn more about our Client Intake Process, Volunteer Opportunities, or how your Support will enable the Hate Crime Project to make a difference in the lives of families and individuals facing discrimination and injustice.