(CNN) Reported hate crimes against Asians in 16 of the nation's largest cities and counties are up 164% since this time last year, according to a new study from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State University San Bernardino. In analyzing preliminary data obtained from over a dozen of the nation's largest police jurisdictions, researchers identified 95 anti-Asian hate crimes reported to authorities in the first quarter of 2021, compared with 36 reported incidents in the first quarter of 2020. The area with the largest increase in reported anti-Asian hate crimes was New York City, which saw a 223% spike in early 2021 as reported incidents rose from 13 to 42 compared to the same time last year; followed by San Francisco with a 140% increase as reported incidents rose from 5 to 12, and Los Angeles with an 80% increase associated with a rise from 5 to 9 reported anti-Asian hate crimes. As CNN has previously reported , hate crimes against Asians often go underreported due to the lack of mandatory national reporting requirements by police agencies, but also because of other factors that could deter victims from calling the police, such as: longstanding distrust of law enforcement, language barriers, and immigration status. "This year's first quarter increase follows a historic surge in Anti-Asian hate crime that started last year," the studied noted.

Source: CNN May 05, 2021 22:30 UTC