Matthew Shepard James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act Data Collection Provisions Takes Effect at the Beginning of the New Year

http://transgenderequality.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/matthew-shepard-james-byrd-jr-hate-crimes-prevention-act-data-collection-provisions-takes-effect-at-the-beginning-of-the-new-year/

The Matthew Shepard James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA), which was passed in 2009, includes provisions for more comprehensive data collection practices by expanding options for categorizing a hate crime. Starting this year, "gender," "gender identity," "sexual orientation" and "disability" are four new categories that are included on the Hate Crime Incident Report, a standardized document used by law enforcement to report, track and code bias-related crimes. The new categories permit the incident report to be more comprehensive and inclusive.

Additionally, the Hate Crime Incident Report not only includes all of the above categories of hate crimes, but also contains separate sections under each of the four categories to allow for a more complete understanding of who is under attack. This portion of HCPA provides urgently needed education for police officers about transgender people in a way that did not exist before.

This is extremely WONDERFUL news.