The number of hate crimes reported in Colorado between 2017 and 2018 almost doubled, according to data compiled by Colorado law enforcement.

State law enforcement agencies reported 185 hate crime cases in 2018 compared to 96 in 2017. That number is the highest it’s been since 2012 when 192 cases were reported, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s 2018 crime report.

The latest report also showed violent crime rose in 2018 in Colorado.

The FBI defines hate crimes as offenses that have an element of bias against race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity. Reporting the hate crime data is mandatory for federal agencies but voluntary for local and state agencies. The numbers likely are not fully representative of the entire state’s cases.

The 185 cases in 2018 included 172 victims. Only half resulted in arrests or another type of clearance, the CBI report said.

The majority of the hate crimes — 112 of the 172 victims reported — involved bias against race, ethnicity or ancestry, according to Colorado’s data. The next largest category was sexual orientation bias with 29 victims, followed by religious bias at 26. The largest number of reported hate crimes based on race, ethnicity or ancestry bias were against black people, followed by Hispanics or Latinos. Anti-Jewish bias was the largest religious category followed by Anti-Muslim bias.

The most common hate crime reported was intimidation, followed by assault and vandalism, according to the report.

“The significant increase in reported hate crimes is alarming and highlights the increased vitriol, harassment and targeted violence that marginalized populations across our state have experienced for the past several years. We are deeply concerned that Jewish institutions and individuals continue to be the targets of the majority of religion-based hate crimes,” said mountain states regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Scott Levin in a statement. “Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and all people of faith should be able to worship without fear of violence and intimidation.”

A 1998 hate crime that later spurred legislation and other changes in the west was that of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard who was beaten and tortured before he was left to die in Laramie, Wyoming.

The executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation said high-quality data helps prevent bias-motivated crimes and he commended law enforcement agencies for switching to a more robust reporting system as well as publicizing the “alarming number of these vile offenses.”

“As we continue to focus our efforts on providing in-depth hate crime training to law enforcement agencies nationwide, we hope this local increase in reported cases reflects stronger and more trusting relationships between targeted communities and those who police them,” Jason Marsden said in a statement. “There is still more work to be done, but we applaud law enforcement agencies in Colorado and their commitment to devote significant time and attention to hate crimes enforcement and reporting.”