• Acts of vandalism that target places of worship are considered hate crimes in Florida.synagogue image by yaros from Fotolia.com
  
  According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a "hate crime" relates to "harassment, intimidation or physical violence motivated by a bias against characteristics of a victim considered integral to his social identity." Currently, only one U.S. state, Wyoming, has no hate crime laws. Three others, Arkansas, Indiana and South Carolina, have a hate crime law for institutional vandalism only. Florida, by contrast, has some of the most rigorous hate crime laws in the country.
  
  

Florida Hate Crimes Statutes

• The state of Florida currently has four statutes that relate directly or indirectly to hate crimes. Hate crimes in Florida are defined as criminal acts that "evidence prejudice" based on race, religion, ethnicity, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, mental or physical disability or advanced age of victim. Gender is not included in the Florida hate crimes definition.
  
  

Florida Statute 877.19

• The most recent statute that was enacted in Florida is the Hate Crimes Reporting Act. This act mandates the governor collect and disseminate data on hate crimes that occur in the state. All hate crimes listed in the previous section are included in this act.
  
  

Florida Statute 806.13, Section 4(2)

• This statute pertains to criminal mischief. Section 4(2) describes penalties for defacing, injuring or damaging places of worship or religious articles that are housed within any place of worship. Such acts of vandalism, if committed willfully and maliciously, will be judged as felonies of the third degree.
  
  

Florida Statute 775.085

• Florida statute 775.085 describes the increase in penalties for those convicted of felonies and misdemeanors connected to hate crimes. Individuals targeted for crimes because of mental or physical disabilities as well as those targeted because of advanced age are added to the hate crimes victims list for the first time .
  
  

Florida Statute 775.0845

• Enacted in part because of crimes committed by hooded members of hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, Florida statute 775.0845 increases penalties for crimes committed by masked or hooded perpetrators.
  
  

Future Extensions

• At present, social services advocates are lobbying to reclassify crimes that target homeless individuals as hate crimes.