Hate Crime Casework: Historical, Practical and Theoretical Approaches

After a hate incident is reported to the police or other relevant agency, the victim is often looking for a response from the service and the helping professional they are telling their experiences to (Chahal, 1999, 2003). However, within the increasing literature on hate crime there is very little on the support, casework and help provided by hate crime support services and other helping professionals and the relationship with the victim as a service user (see for example, Jennes & Broad, 1997, Chahal, 2003, Jalota, 2004). Casework is both a historical and changing concept and approach that has transformed over a long history - stretching over a period of 120 years. Previously directly associated with the practice of social work, casework as a problem-solving tool has largely disappeared from practice due to the growth of managerialism and the development of processes of case management. However, within the broad arena of hate crime, victim support and casework continues in different forms as a co-produced, problem-solving tool that aims to provide justice for the victims of the prejudices. This chapter provides a United Kingdom (UK) perspective on current UK policy and prevalence of hate crime, the history, practice and some theoretical issues relating to supporting victims of hate crime and providing a casework approach that aims to co-produce solutions with a service user.