Hate Crime Reporting and Response Initiative (HCRRI)

Applicant Name: Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Project Period: 10/1/22 – 9/30/26

Total Funds Requested: $399,999.04

Key Partners: Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Muslim Advisory Council, Somali American Council of Oregon, Slavic Advisory Council, Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Council, Portland Police Bureau, Local Public Safety Coordinating Council.

The Hate Crime Reporting and Response Initiative (HCRRI) focuses on outreach, education, and investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office (MCDA) will detail a specialized Bias DDA to create an interwoven network of knowledge and relationships that ensures victims are heard and supported in reporting hate incidents and crimes, and that these crimes are consistently referred to MCDA for investigation and prosecution. 

Primary activities and associated outcomes include:

Community outreach and education. The Bias DDA will connect with culturally-specific and other community partners to identify barriers to reporting and pursuing cases and to design informational materials that address barriers and respond to misinformation in a way that is credible for the relevant cultural communities. 
Increase outreach to victims by ensuring that a victim advocate is assigned to 100% of all victims of prosecuted bias crime cases on felony cases.
Share monthly information through press releases, including to culturally specific news sources, social media, website, and directly to culturally specific community-based organizations or groups.
Meet with community-based organizations that represent culturally specific communities (6 in Year 1; 4 in Year 2, 2 in Year 3; and as needed thereafter), to listen to their needs and priorities; provide information and outreach materials; potentially provide training to staff specific to hate crimes and attend at least 10 events annually to listen and share information.
Develop and share information relevant to K-12 and higher educational settings, through meetings and presentations, delivering at least 1 school related presentation each year.
Develop and share information relevant to law enforcement and deliver at least two trainings annually. 
Increase investigation: ensure any needed interviews are conducted, reports written, video footage pulled, or other working details and evidence gathered for approximately 5 cases per year.
The Bias DDA will prosecute an estimated 10 hate crimes in Years 1 and 2; 15 in Year 3 and 20 in Year 4; and assist other MCDA staff as they prosecute remaining cases.

Service Area: Multnomah County, Oregon

Intended beneficiaries: All Multnomah County residents