California forum on hate and disability urges better data, police training and statewide review

Experts and advocates at a joint community forum in Oakland on Aug. 19 urged California officials to close gaps in data, law enforcement response and statewide oversight for incidents affecting people with disabilities.

Eric Harris, associate executive director of external affairs at Disability Rights California, said disability is ‘‘everywhere’’ and that policy and program design must account for disability up front. He described litigation and policy work used to protect rights and stressed intersectionality, saying disabled people of color and LGBTQ+ disabled people often face compounded harms.

Dr. Karen Nakamura, a disability-studies scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, said it is often difficult to classify incidents as ‘‘hate’’ when multiple identities overlap. ‘‘When does that constitute a hate crime?’’ she asked, pointing to inconsistencies between local, state and FBI data and the practical barriers that cause underreporting of disability-related incidents.

Greg Dujier, a civil‑rights advocate with The Arc of California, reviewed research showing elevated victimization of people with disabilities and highlighted financial exploitation. Citing a 2015 study, he said financial abuse of older adults nationally costs ‘‘more than $36,000,000,000 a year.’’ He also noted that police reports recorded only a small fraction of anti‑disability hate crimes and called for stronger accountability and coordinated state action.

Speakers offered specific policy suggestions: improving how victims can check multiple bias categories when they report incidents, expanding law‑enforcement training and mandatory response policies for senior and disability victimization, and asking an oversight body to design a comprehensive statewide plan. Dujier asked the commission to recommend that the Little Hoover Commission undertake a review and planning process to address gaps identified by disability and senior groups.

The forum emphasized practical steps to encourage reporting and reduce harm: public‑facing hotlines and community conflict resolution resources were highlighted, and speakers urged separating crisis response channels (for mental‑health crises) from default police response where possible to reduce deadly encounters for people in psychiatric distress.

The Commission on the State of Hate and the California Civil Rights Council gathered public feedback during the meeting; commissioners said they will continue reviewing testimony and may bring formal recommendations to state policymakers.