Mercer Times

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has introduced a new statewide initiative titled "No Hate in the Garden State" to address and raise awareness about bias incidents and crimes targeting individuals based on race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.

The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) developed this campaign in collaboration with the Division on Civil Rights (DCR). The initiative aims to educate the public on available resources for victims of bias incidents and crimes through various media channels including television, print, radio, digital platforms, and social media. The campaign also features training sessions for law enforcement and victim services professionals as well as direct training programs for educators, students, and parents in communities most affected by bias incidents.

Governor Phil Murphy expressed his support: “As our nation and state continue to grapple with an alarming rise in incidents of bias and hate, we must work together to ensure all our fellow New Jerseyans feel safe in their communities. This is a problem that we must tackle head-on – because nobody deserves to live in fear because of who they are. The No Hate in the Garden State campaign will be critical in our efforts to identify the sources of bias and intolerance and raise awareness about the tools available to report bias incidents.”

Attorney General Platkin highlighted the increasing trend of bias incidents since 2018: “Since 2018, reports of bias incidents and crimes have steadily risen throughout the nation, and New Jersey has been no exception. We will not stand idly by in the face of this unacceptable trend. The No Hate in the Garden State campaign gives us the tools to educate the public and raise awareness about bias and how to report it when you see it."

New Jersey reported 2,211 bias incidents in 2022, marking a significant increase from previous years. Combating this trend has been a priority for Attorney General Platkin who has encouraged strategies within the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety.

DCJ received over $1 million in federal grant funding for public awareness efforts related to bias incident reporting. This includes $300,000 from the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Program by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), along with $750,000 from another DOJ initiative supporting public awareness campaigns.

Director J. Stephen Ferketic of DCJ stated: “I am really proud of the work we have done to create this campaign. It will help empower New Jerseyans to stop the rising tide of hatred and bias.”

Sundeep Iyer, Director of DCR added: “As bias incidents continue to rise across the country... Now more than ever we must continue to develop new ways to educate New Jerseyans about how they can stand up to hate they see in their communities.”

The Attorney General’s Office is working with various stakeholders across New Jersey for broader dissemination of this campaign.

“We are asking our partners... Together we make sure there is No Hate in the Garden State,” concluded AG Platkin.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Platkin launched a publicly accessible Bias Incident Dashboard developed by OJD which provides detailed data on reported bias incidents across New Jersey.

Dr. Kristin Golden from OJD remarked: “Since its launch earlier this year... Information on the dashboard provides communities with valuable insight into patterns and trends in bias incidents.”