U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

When Hate Groups Come to Town: A Handbook of Model Community Responses

NCJ Number
115521
Editor(s)
R Williams, L Wells
Date Published
1986
Length
151 pages
Annotation
This manual details model community responses to Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and other hate group activities.
Abstract
The KKK has the ability to divide communities along racial, religious, and ethnic lines. It has the ability to intimidate, to kill and maim, and to inspire imitative forms of violence despite its small membership. A new factor is its contemporary use of public confrontation tactics. While the materials in the manual refer primarily to the KKK, they can be adapted for use against all racially motivated violence and hate group activity. The manual is designed to help communities develop civic defense plans against such activities and elucidate factors that have contributed to the success and failure of previous community responses. It discusses the roles and responsibilities of church and clergy, human relations commissions, media, schools, law enforcement, business and labor, communities, and local and State Governments. Ten case studies illustrate State and local responses, including legal approaches and those aimed at prevention and fostering attitude change.