This study explores the causes of hate crimes, especially among young people in Malmö,using a qualitative approach. Three young individuals with a personal connection to hatecrime participate in discussions about motivation, views of victims and strategies to combathate crime. Strain theory is used as a theoretical framework to explain how dissatisfaction can lead to deviant behavior, including hate crimes. The results point to negative behavior patterns, nationalist tendencies and intolerance towards religions or ethnicities with areligious connection as contributing factors to hate crimes. The importance of this study is highlighted by the limited amount of research in a Swedish context where perpetrators havebeen interviewed.