Last week's attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon served as a stimulus for bias-motivated hate crimes, says Bryan Byers, a criminal justice professor and hate crimes researcher.

"It is likely the offenders committing these crimes have some degree of prejudice or intolerance for others," he said. "The attacks could be serving as a justification for hate crimes.

"Those without the ability, or some unwillingness, to seek appropriate outlets for their frustration and anger may take their hostilities out on others who they believe represent or symbolize those who carried out the terrorist attacks on the U.S."

Crimes against Arab-Americans have occurred with such frequency that the FBI has opened 40 investigations since the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes.

There was 182 anti-Islamic hate crimes reported to the FBI from 1992 through 1999. This eight-year figure may be surpassed this year, Byers said.

America has a history of attacking or forcibly detaining minority groups after a major incident or during times of war.

During World War II, the U.S. government institutionalized many Japanese-Americans just because they didn't look like the rest of the country, Byers said.

"The Amish and Mennonites were treated poorly because they were conscientious objectors," he said.

Stopping these types of hate crimes is a difficult proposition because laws or education, the two main sources of deterrence, do not easily dissuade people with bigoted views.

"It appears the perception of the terrorist attacks is suppressing any effect that hate crime laws, enforcement, or public education may have on the perpetrators," Byers said. "As sad as it is to say, at this point, time is most likely to be the best predictor of when such hate crimes against Arab-Americans and Islamic religious facilities will taper off."

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Byers at bbyers@bsu.eduor (765) 285-1530.)