N.J. bias incidents at highest level in 30 years, especially in schools and colleges. Here’s what to know from a new report.

Bias incidents have increased in New Jersey for the seventh straight year, with an alarming rise in incidents at the state’s public schools and colleges, according to a new state report.

A report released Thursday by state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin analyzing final bias incidents statistics in 2021 and 2022 shows the highest number of incidents since the state began reporting incidents 30 years ago.

In 2022, there were 2,211 bias incidents statewide, compared to the previous high of 1,885 in 2011, the report said. Most frequently targeted were Black people, the Jewish community, and the Hispanic or Latinx community, the report said.

Following a national trend, the state said incidents of bias and hate remain on the rise: Preliminary data compiled by New Jersey State Police for 2023 showed a 23% increase in incidents over 2022.

“As we witness the alarming rise in incidents of bias and hate across our nation, New Jersey is not immune to this epidemic,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. “While we can attribute our state’s significant rise in part to an increased willingness to report such acts, it is our duty to ensure New Jerseyans can live and work free from violence, fear, and intimidation.”

Here’s what you need to know from the report.

The state defines bias incidents as suspected or confirmed acts of bias intimidation motivated by a victim’s perceived or actual race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, gender identity, or gender expression.

In 2021, residences were the most frequent locations of bias incidents, according to the report. That shifted in 2022 when bias incidents most frequently occurred in elementary and secondary schools. In 2023, preliminary data showed that incidents in schools jumped 34%, from 451 to 603. The report didn’t identify the schools, but in South Jersey in 2023, Burlington County reported 78 incidents, Camden County 82 and Gloucester County 31.

Bias incidents reported by colleges and universities more than doubled from 53 incidents in 2022 to 115 in 2023, according to the report. No reason was given for the increase in incidents at educational institutions.

According to the preliminary data for 2023, there were 2,699 bias incidents reported statewide to law enforcement agencies. The state said those numbers could change when a final report is compiled.

Bias incidents targeting Black people accounted for 34% of the incidents, reported, about 1,101. Anti-Jewish bias was cited as the motivation for 708 reported incidents, the report said. The report also noted increases in incidents targeting Muslims and Arabs.

The state attributed the increase in part to improvements in reporting and community outreach. It also cited the spread of misinformation and bias on social media, political rancor, and lingering effects of backlash from the racial justice movement that began in 2020 after the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer sparked protests around the country.

Between 2021 and 2023, authorities have charged 21 people with bias intimidation.

The state has launched a new Bias Incident Dashboard, which gives the public access to comprehensive bias incident statistics across New Jersey. The report can be found at https://bias.njcivilrights.gov.

Platkin said New Jersey plans to launch a bias crimes public awareness campaign later this year using the tagline, “No Hate in the Garden State.” The campaign will seek to increase reporting and educate victims of bias incidents about available resources, he said.