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protecting lives, rights, communities
Office of Bias Crime
and Community Relations:
Working Against Bigotry and Bullying
ike many of the issues that confront sponsible for the statewide monitoring of bias
L the Attorney General’s Office each day,
combating bigotry and bias crime is a
matter not only of enforcement, but outreach.
crime incidents. The office trains law enforce-
ment officers in the investigation of bias crime,
offers programs in sensitivity and diversity
In 2005, the Attorney General’s Office training for students and teachers, and assists
continued to make reducing bigotry — and county and municipal human relations commis-
the anti-social behavior that often accompa- sions in addressing the concerns of their di-
nies it — one of its leading priorities, largely verse communities.
through the work of its Office of Bias Crime The OBCCR also responds to communities
and Community Relations (OBCCR) within in need of assistance in coping with crises that
the Division of Criminal Justice. stem from ethnic, racial, religious or other cul-
Led by Chief Hester Agadosi, the Office tural tensions. The priorities of the Office of Bias
of Bias Crime and Community Relations is re- Crime and Community Relations extend beyond
Contrary to the stereotype of
the childhood bully, bullying
comes in many different forms
and is engaged in by a wide
range of people.
ANNUAL REPORT 2003/2004 • 23
law enforcement. They include the development faces a federal prison term of at least 15 years upon rals to law enforcement agencies, human ser-
of prototype education and preventive pro- conviction for the pending criminal complaints. vice providers and trained volunteers. Any-
grams, as well as specific activities to reduce bias The Office of Bias Crime and Community one concerned that he or she has been the
crime and biased-based bullying. Relations also responded in 2005 to various eth- victim of bias crime is urged to call 1-800-
nic tensions that arose from bias crimes targeting 277-BIAS (2427). Anyone concerned that he
Enforcement: undocumented Hispanic residents in Union, or she has been the victim of bullying can call
Prosecuting Bias Activity Monmouth, Morris and Cumberland counties. 1-877-NO-BULLY (662-8559).
In addition to its training and outreach
Throughout the year, the Office of Bias Preventing Bias programs, the Office of Bias Crime and
Crime and Community Relations worked jointly
with county and municipal law enforcement
Crime and Bullying Community Relations provides administra-
tive and program support for the New Jer-
agencies to assist with, and monitor, approxi- Through training and outreach programs, the sey State Human Relations Council, and the
mately 470 bias incidents reported statewide. At OBCCR continued in 2005 to work against bias Attorney General’s Arab and Muslim Advi-
this writing, there are 20 active bias case investi- crime and bullying. Among its successful and sory Committee.
gations pending. popular programs were:
In May 2005, OBCCR investigators were re- ❖ New Jersey Bias Crime Training Program — Conferences/Special Events
sponsible for the arrest of convicted felons A comprehensive one-day seminar for law en-
On May 17, 2005, the Office of Bias Crime
Gabriel Carafa and Craig Orler. The six-month forcement officers on the essentials of bias crime.
and Community Relations hosted a conference
investigation initially focused on an attempt by ❖ Educational Training —
under the title “New Jersey Cares About Cyber-
Carafa, who had already served time for bias in- Approximately 7,500 students, teachers, ad-
Bullying” at the New Jersey State Police Tech-
timidation and terroristic threats against a family ministrators, and other persons throughout
nology Building in Hamilton Township. The con-
of Indian descent in Ocean County, to have a the state were trained in the area of bias crime
ference featured a series of workshops that ex-
confidential police informant build a bomb. and cultural diversity in 2005 through OBCCR’s
plored the growing trend among young people
The case later developed into an investigation programs. Response by OBCCR to the needs
toward Internet “cyber-bullying” — bullying con-
of the sale of stolen weapons to undercover of various schools in 2005 included staff and
ducted on-line, via e-mail, chat rooms and other
state investigators and federal agents by both student training, as well as the provision of
direct communication options available through
Carafa and Orler. Both Carafa and Orler were technical assistance to school districts that re-
the Web. Approximately 200 educators and
on parole at the time of the alleged weapon ported an increase in bias crime, bias-related
members of law enforcement attended the
sales. And both, by virtue of their past records, incidents, and racial tension. In addition to edu-
event. There was a second cyber-bullying con-
were statutorily prohibited from owning or pos- cators, OBCCR staff provided training to stu-
ference in November 2005.
sessing weapons. dents, law enforcement officers, community
Other important conferences sponsored by
Carafa, whose 2004 bias intimidation case and civic groups, and human relations commis-
the OBCCR in 2005 included the First Annual
was prosecuted by OBCCR, has been identi- sions on bias crime and cultural diversity.
Arab and Muslim Clergy Leadership Conference
fied as a leader of such bias groups as Church ❖ Referral Hotlines — and the Ninth Annual Human Relations Confer-
of the Creator and a neo-Nazi skinhead group OBCCR maintains a telephone hotline for vic- ence. The Muslim Clergy Leadership Conference
known as “The Hated.” tims of bias crime and a separate telephone was designed to bring together the leadership of
The Office of Bias Crimes and Community Re- hotline for those concerned about bullying. the Arab and Muslim clergy from across New Jer-
lations deferred prosecution of both Carafa and Both hotlines help victims via telephone refer- sey to share information, ideas and concerns,
Orler, and instead referred the cases to the U.S.
and to learn about the resources and initiatives
Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. Each defendant
offered by the Attorney General’s Office. The
Human Relations Conference was held in con-
junction with the New Jersey State Human Rela-
tions Council. Approximately 100 people repre-
senting human relations commissions attended
the session, taking part in workshops designed to
focus attention on the importance of using edu-
cation as a tool to combat prejudice. Additional
information about OBCCR is available by visiting
www.NJBiasCrime.org.
This Logo is being used in an ongoing anti-bullying
campaign to raise awareness regarding this important
issue confronting New Jersey’s children. The campaign
also includes outreach by the Office of Bias Crimes and
Community Relations to schools throughout the State.
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