Definition: Racist Incident

The Terms of Reference of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry was to:

“inquire into the matters arising from the death of Stephen Lawrence on 22 April 1993 to date, in order particularly to identify the lessons to be learned from the investigation and prosecution of racially motivated crimes.”

The Inquiry made a number of recommendations covering:

• Openness, accountability and the restoration of confidence

• Definition of racist incident

• Reporting and recording racist incidents and crimes

• Police Practice and the investigation of racist crime

• Family liaison

• Victims and witnesses

• Prosecution of racist crime

• Training

• Employment, Discipline and complaints

• Stop and search

• Recruitment and retention

• Prevention and the role of education

Recommendation 12 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report states that the definition of a racist incident should be:

”any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or by any other person”

http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm42/
4262/sli-00.htmStephen Lawrence Inquiry, Chapter 47, Recommendation 12)

In his Action Plan on the Inquiry Report, the Home Secretary said that the Home Office would:

‘ensure that the Inquiry’s simplified definition of a racist incident is adopted by the police, local government and other relevant agencies.’

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ppd/oppu/slawr.htm

The Racist Incidents Standing Committee (RISC) which brings together policy units of the Home Office which have an interest in racist incidents with other departments and agencies have issued a Code of Practice which promulgates the Inquiry’s definition for adoption by all relevant agencies.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ppd/oppu/coderi.htm

This is to ensure that investigations take full account of the possibility of a racist dimension to the incident and that these incidents are universally collected. The term racist incident includes crimes and non-crimes.