The number of hate groups in Indiana jumped about 15 percent last year, according to a new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center. As Indiana Pubilc Broadcasting’s Becca Costello reports, that’s higher than the nationwide increase of about 4 percent.

In 2017, Indiana ranked 11^th in the nation with 30 hate groups. That’s up from 13^th the year before.

Indiana University Maurer School of Law Professor Jeannine Bell says the increase is especially concerning since Indiana is one of five states without a hate crimes law.

“I think that’s a very good reason to be worried about this. We’re seeing an increase in white supremacist organizations that engage in behavior like cross burning.”

Hate crimes legislation has been proposed – and failed – at the Indiana Statehouse for decades, most recently last month.

The Southern Poverty Law Center report notes a decline in Ku Klux Klan groups, but says groups with white supremacist ideology are growing significantly.

In Indiana, KKK groups declined, but neo-Nazi groups and anti-Muslim groups increased.