In 2009, D.C. reported a total of two bias crimes based on a victim's race. During the first six months of this year, there were 15.
Lanier says most of the victims were whites and Latinos -- a result, she says, of the city's rapidly changing demographics and landscape.
"The changes in the city: the gentrification, new residents versus old residents, development areas, you've got a lot of development and a lot of people in these development areas and you've got people who commit crimes take advantage of those areas," says Lanier.
Lanier says it's sometimes difficult to tell what is or isn't a hate crime.
