Digital Library
2017 ADL Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents in the United States
Topic:
Antisemitism & Antizionism
Principal Investigators:
ADL Center on Extremism
Study Date:
2017
Source:
Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
Key Findings:
The 2017 ADL Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents in the United States finds an increase of 57% in the number of incidents reported, as a total of 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents perpetrated throughout the United States were identified by the ADL in 2017.
The states with the highest numbers of incidents were New York (380 incidents), California (268 incidents), New Jersey (208 incidents), Massachusetts (177), Florida (98), and Pennsylvania (96).
The ADL divides the 1,986 total incidents into three major categories: (1) harassment (where a Jewish person or group of people feel harassed by the perceived anti-Semitic words, spoken or written, or actions of someone else); (2) vandalism (where property is damaged in a manner that indicates the presence of anti-Semitic animus or in a manner that victimizes Jews for their religious affiliation), and (3) assault (where people’s bodies are targeted with violence accompanied by expressions of anti-Semitic animus).
The largest increase in 2017 was in the category of vandalism with 952 incidents recorded. There were also 1,015 instances of harassment reported, an increase of 41% over the number of incidents reported in 2016. The report notes that 163 of the harassment cases were part of the spree of bomb threats made against Jewish institutions in the first quarter of 2017. The bomb threats were alleged to have been perpetrated by a troubled Jewish teenager located in Israel. Finally, the number of assault incidents decreased in 2017.
While antisemitic incidents in 2017 occurred in a variety of settings, the largest number of incidents took place in K-12 schools, surpassing public areas as the locations with the most anti-Semitic incidents. Anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses also increased in 2017 to a total of 204, an 89% increase over the 108 incidents in 2016.
Methodology:
According to parameters set by the ADL for the study, the Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents is composed of criminal and non-criminal incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault against individuals and groups as reported to ADL by victims, law enforcement and the media.
Incidents are defined as vandalism of property, or as harassment or assault on individuals or groups, where either 1) circumstances indicate anti-Jewish animus on the part of the perpetrator, or 2) the victim(s) could plausibly conclude that they were being victimized due to their Jewish identity. Any vandalism against Jewish religious institutions or cemeteries is also included.
Although some incidents are hate crimes, many incidents included in the Audit include non-criminal acts that rise to the level of an anti-Semitic incident as we define it above. ADL carefully reviews the credibility of all incidents, including obtaining independent verification when possible.