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Hate crimes contemporary society
Racism in the criminal justice system in the united states
Hate crimes contemporary society
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The fact that hate crime is deemed a major problem for a nation makes the Mathew Sheppard and James Byrd act to be implemented at all levels. This act is implemented at the local, state and federal level within a nation. This because the federal. Local, federal and state authorities join forces during investigations and prosecution of these hate crimes to protect the entire nation from violence evolving due to hate among people. Therefore, to mitigate expansion of hate crimes in the nation all authorities are given the power by Mathew Sheppard’s act to prevent hate crimes and prosecuting
We still deal with racism and hate in our country as stories about acts of hate crime
Now, someone can be accused of a hate crime in most situations. Some states include more groups to be qualified (gender, disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation) to be victims of hate crimes. The violent acts of hate done against these two men opened the eyes of federal officials to the horrible things people do to other people just because of who they are. Violent acts should not be done to another human being especially because they are a certain race, gender, etc. Advancements done in law in these areas are truly an improvement to society.
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.
The U.S. later legalized it in 2009. This act augmented penalties for crimes perpetrated against one’s ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, age, disability, sexual identity, or sexual preference. Today, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act is “effectively recognizing the importance of prosecuting violence motivated by racism or other bias-related crimes” (2). The act serves as evidence of progress towards equality. The government is saying that all men are created equal and should be treated in the same manner, and if one chooses to oppose this proposition, they will encounter strict
Currently, the United State’s criterion on Speech includes, “obscenity, fraud, child pornography, harassment, incitement to illegal conduct and imminent lawless action, true threats, and commercial speech such as advertising, copyright or patent rights” (Gaudefroy 3). However, speech involving discriminatory words or racial intentions are protected by the law. To avoid instances that degrade the minority group, stricter rules need to be enforced on the delicate topic. Restrictions on hate speech should include usage of “misogynistic, homophobic, racist, and conspiracy-laden language” (Gaudefroy 3). Efforts to restrict these types of beliefs would create a more safe and equal society for all individuals.
A hate crime is defined by the LA County District Attorneys office as "A criminal act or attempted criminal act against an individual or group of individuals because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. In 2013 Brice Johnson who is 19 years of age was sentenced in federal court to 183 months of imprisonment for kidnapping a young gay man after luring him to his home and brutally assaulting him because of his sexual orientation according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Johnson admitted in his plea documents that in the early morning of September 2, 2013 he connected with the victim who was identified as A.K. They met through a dating application called
These two articles, from The Washington Post and Alaskan Dispatch News discuss hate crimes from two different perspectives. Alaskan Dispatch News takes a more conservative look at hate crime laws, as the title is “Time to Scrap Hate-Crime Laws.” The Washington Post takes an opposite stance, and is more liberal, as the title states that “…Its More Important Than Ever to Fight Hate and Bigotry.” Just the titles of these two articles alone sets the stage for the side the article will be taking. The Washington Post has a heavy focus that hate-crime laws are necessary in order to maintain equality.
Are Hate Crime Laws useful or Should they be Revoked? The subject of hate crime and the validity of hate crime laws is a sensitive matter to many people. As a result, people tend to be divided into two groups, the first one is supportive of the laws and the second group opposes them. The laws of hate crimes might appear to be the solution; however they are not, therefore they should be revoked. Let’s start first with the legal definition of hate crimes.
The intentions were great, and did make a great effort in achieving such, but there was still a notable hate culture present in America. Fast forward to the 1990s. The term “hate crime” has now been coined, and state legislation surrounding the term is beginning to form. Coined within the decade prior, the term was now known to coincide with other wide-spread terms of discriminatory bias; such as prejudice, xenophobia, homophobia, etcetera.
"The hate crime law movement re-criminalizes conduct that is already criminal. In effect, it creates a hierarchy of victims-one based upon the group identities of perpetrators and victims, as long as prosecutors can prove a bias motive. Thus, from the beginning, hate crime laws have simply given us something else to argue about: whose victimization should be punished more severely" (TIME). While this point is extremely necessary and valid, laws are in place for a reason. Laws create an understanding of what is acceptable in one's place of living.
Hate crime What distinguishes a hate crime from other crimes is an underlying motivation based on the victim’s group membership. There has been much debate over the constitutionality of hate crime laws and which groups (if any) should be protected by such legislation. Those against hate crime laws argue that it is a violation of First Amendment protections of free, association, and freedom of thought. The Supreme Court confirmed that freedom of thought is implied by the First Amendment in R.A.V. v. St. Paul which those against hate crime laws argue makes such laws unconstitutional.
Today America has a system set in place that protects people from any hate crime. Hate crime is characterized as a threat or crime influenced by religion, race, or other prejudice. The United states is the most diverse country in the world. The citizen of the United states has the right to free speech without being shamed by others including the government. Hate groups target religious, race, and LGBT individuals.
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, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” If an African American commits the same crime as an Caucasian it is more likely for the black person to be charged and arrested due to the racial issues we have today. There are many pros and cons towards the issue of racial crime, but hate crime is still a very difficult issue for our country to overcome. In order to overcome the issue of hate crime it would require changing legislation, public and police attitudes.
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).
