ipl-logo

Brief History Of Hate Crimes Prevention Act Of 2009

1098 Words5 Pages

Today, hate crimes are defined in the United States by the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 as “crimes that are committed due to the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of any person” (US DoJ, 2023). While this most recent hate crime legislation was passed within the past two decades, hate crimes have been committed throughout the course of human history and there has been anti-hate crime legislation in the United States since the 1960’s. Early hate crime legislation only applied to victims who were participating in a limited number of federally protected activities, including attending school or voting. It was not until 2009 that legislation expanded hate crimes to include any victim of crimes committed due to the victim’s real or perceived membership of certain groups. There are numerous relevant factors …show more content…

Anti-religious crimes are typically against property and include damage or vandalism, theft, or burglary. However, anti-race and anti-sexual orientation hate crimes tend to be committed against individuals (Cheng et al., 2013). This makes sense, as races and members of LGBTQ communities do not have their identities tied to physical locations in the same way religious organizations do. These communities certainly have places they congregate in or may feel freer to express these aspects of their personality, but a predominantly black community center is not integral to being black in the same way that a Synagogue is to being Jewish. Data on the targets of racial-motivated hate crimes also reveals interesting, if contradictory, patterns. Whites and Blacks are most likely to commit hate crimes against one another. Conversely, Asians and Asians are more likely to commit hate crimes against members of the same group. This makes sense in respect to Whites and Blacks when one considers Turner and Tajfel’s Social Identity Theory

Show More
Related
334 Words | 2 Pages

A hate crime is a violent act against people, property, or organizations because of the group to which they belong or identify with. Hate crimes are committed against many different groups of people. Many hate crimes are based on racial or religious bias. Racial bias is the largest cause of hate crimes. Hate crimes are a specific type of crime committed against individuals or groups because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, or

Read More
856 Words | 4 Pages

The killings of Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and a plethora of other Black Americans have shown that the manifestation of hate and fear towards individuals of color is still deeply rooted in the American culture. Furthermore, the systematic maltreatment of groups of people in America has extended far beyond just the black community; it has become painfully clear that members of the LGBTQ, Latinx, and Islamic communities are facing a similar level of

Read More
970 Words | 4 Pages

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a hate crime is a crime motivated by hostility towards a group of people. This is the kind of crime involved in the situation of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Before we look into what the crime was and how crimes like it are prevented, let’s look at who these two men were.

Read More
1299 Words | 6 Pages

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 1998 there were over 7,755 hate crime incidents reported in America, which stemmed from people’s biased views towards people of different races (46.9%), sexual orientations (20.8%), religions (19.8%), ethnicity and (11.6%), and people with disabilities (0.9%). All 7,755 of the crimes were more than just violence; they were violence driven by hatred. They were hate crimes. The FBI defines a hate crime as a “a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias.” This is certainly the case of the murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie Wyoming.

Read More
617 Words | 3 Pages

She also mentions how hate crimes do not only affect the victims, but also affect the community by adding fear, anxiety, and anger (Petri and Slotnik, 2021). Victims like Ms. Pong mention how Asian women are higher targets than Asian men are. Advocacy groups are working to create more reports on Asian hate crimes and involve law enforcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation discusses the history of hate crimes, what they are, and what the FBI does to combat them (“Federal Bureau”, 2017). Hate crimes have been a part of society since World War I. America first began using the federal government to protect citizens from hate crimes in June of 1964.

Read More
323 Words | 2 Pages

According to the congress, a hate crime is a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.” (2015, January 07). Hate Crime—Overview. FBI. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov

Read More
866 Words | 4 Pages

The victims of this senseless act endured unimaginable terror and violence, surviving physically but grappling with the psychological pain. However, it's essential to recognize that prejudice harms not only the oppressed, but also the oppressor. In this case, the perpetrator, Jason Eaton, faces imprisonment for his violent actions, a consequence of his prejudiced beliefs. This underscores how prejudice and injustice have far-reaching consequences, affecting both victims and perpetrators alike. Moreover, studies, such as those highlighted in the Boston Globe article, have shown that experiences of prejudice and discrimination can have detrimental effects on individuals' physical and mental health.

Read More
380 Words | 2 Pages

Hate Crimes: A Savage Hypocrisy If a man kills another man it is considered murder, but if you add the words black and white into the sentence to make it “a white man kills black man” it is considered a hate crime. Our hate crime laws keep us from reaching or goals of terminating racism it the United States of America. My vision for America is the abolishment of hate crime laws and their hypocritical ways to have a country united.

Read More
1120 Words | 5 Pages

Hate crimes do not say they only protect black people, or transgender people. They protect every sexuality. It would not just protect homosexuals or bisexuals, it would also protect heterosexuals. If a crime was committed against a heterosexual, because they were heterosexual, then the hate crime laws would apply to them as well. We are not saying one group of people is more important than another.

Read More
1471 Words | 6 Pages

Introduction Since the beginning of time, there have been crimes against humanity that would today be considered bias-motivated, or “hate crimes”. It was not until the 1980’s, though, that this term was coined within the United States. The Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990 defines hate crimes as, “crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, including where appropriate the crimes of murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, aggravate assault, simple assault, intimidation, arson, and destruction, damage or vandalism of property.” ( SOURCE)

Read More
1916 Words | 8 Pages

This perspective is shared by Elizabeth Birch in her piece “Hate Crime Laws are Needed to Protect Gays and Lesbians,” when she asserts, “Opponents of the hate-crime legislation like to obfuscate the issue by the saying that hate-crime laws punish thought. However, the HCPA does not apply to hateful thoughts, just violent actions that cause bodily injuries or death” (122). This quote, in essence, serves as a reflection of how a line of difference is drawn between hateful thoughts and prejudice that begets

Read More
598 Words | 3 Pages

Every two minutes, someone in the United States falls victim to a hate crime. As alarming as this sounds, it's clear that prejudice is not a distant issue; it is an insidious force woven into the fabric of our daily lives and stemming back 100s of years. The source of discrimination derives from people in the majority being afraid of losing status and power. They often combat their insecurities by instilling terror or intimidation in others. In the 1920s, discrimination was at its peak as white men were under the impression that marginalized groups were taking control of the country.

Read More
839 Words | 4 Pages

The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines a hate crime as, "a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias. For the purposes of collecting statistics, the FBI has defined a hate crime as a "criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity." Hate itself is not a crime-and the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties" (FBI). When reading this definition, it is clear to understand why so many are against hate crimes. Hate crimes are a direct stab, whether that be literally or metaphorical, at a group of human beings.

Read More
1481 Words | 6 Pages

According to Gerstenfeld, hate crimes “may or may not include sexual orientation, gender, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or political affiliation.” Some argue that every group should be protected by hate crime legislation, but this runs the risk of watering down the significance of such protections. The groups that are most frequently targeted by hate crimes including African Americans, gays and lesbians, Jews, and Muslims should be prioritized over other groups. Historically, the most targeted groups in the United States are African Americans, LGBT community, Jews, and Muslims. These groups are undoubtedly in the most need for protections provided by hate crime laws.

Read More
878 Words | 4 Pages

In the recent news, everyone’s heard of the rise in hate crime. Most hate crime is “motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice, typically one involving violence,” (Dictionary.com). Hate crimes have spanned across the country and impact thousands of lives each year. The FBI started investigating hate crimes at the turn of the 20th century. The FBI define hate crime as, “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity,” (FBI).

Read More

More about Brief History Of Hate Crimes Prevention Act Of 2009

Open Document