What is a hate crime?
Nebraska state law defines hate crimes as criminal acts against a person or property which are motivated because of the victim’s real or perceived race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability.

Hate Crimes vs. Hate Incidents
"Hate incidents" involve behavior that although motivated by bias are not a crime. Hate incidents involve hateful speech or other disrespectful acts that are important to monitor because they could escalate under certain circumstances into hate crimes.

"Hate crimes" occur when perpetrators actually commit violence against persons or property, or if they place a potential victim in reasonable fear of physical injury. An actual hate crime must occur for it to be legally defined as a "hate crime."