Bias and Hate Crimes - 1488 Words

Given that our society has such a dense population of different races, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations, it is important to understand both the goals and challenges of policing and dealing with hate and bias crimes. Considering that since the beginning stages of immigration we have tried to support successful assimilation, hate and bias crimes create a huge barrier. Hate and bias crimes â€Å"occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain social group, usually defined by race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation† (en.wikipedia.org). Not only is it difficult for our society to identify this sort of crime,†¦show more content†¦Still, while this might be a helpful step, it is still tough to define, identify and fairly deal with bias crimes on a case-by-case basis. There is still no clearly-defined code given to officers concerning how to deal with hate and bias crimes, and because every situation is different and deserves individual attention, police officers are given a certain amount of discretion. Although this may seem to be the most rational way of dealing with hate and bias crimes, it puts a large amount of pressure on officers. The ambiguities of bias are also a cause for concern among police officers themselves; when investigating any crime, law enforcement must use extreme caution in order to ensure that non-biased profiling techniques are used. Racial profiling is a form of bias-based profiling, and is defined as â€Å"the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or an illegal act† (en.wikipedia.org). One of the biggest issues that police officers face is the challenge of not being accused of being biased themselves. They have to take information from suspects, victims and witnesses in order to properly investigate, yet refrain from having or giving the impression of any sort of bias. As for what sort of bias and hate crimes typically occur in the US, several studies have found that of all theShow MoreRelatedPsychology Of Hate Crime Offenders1564 Words   |  7 Pages Psychology of Hate Crime Offenders Melissa K. Mark University of Phoenix September 2015 â€Æ' Abstract This study investigated data regarding criminal offenses categorized as hate crimes that â€Å"are motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender s bias against a race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or disability and are committed against persons, property, or society†, (Hall 2013) with a speculative focus upon the psychological typology of the offender. FindingsRead MorePsychological Effects Of Hate Crimes1335 Words   |  6 PagesMany issues impacted by hate crimes can be informed by psychological research. For example, are hate crimes more harmful than other kinds of crime? Why do people commit hate crimes? What can be done to prevent or lessen the impact of hate and bias-motivated crimes? Social scientific research is beginning to yield information on the nature of crimes committed because of real or perceived differences in race, religion, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or gender. CurrentRead MoreHate Crime Essay 1660 Words   |  7 PagesThe term hate crime developed in the early 1980s by reporters and government officials such as John Conyers and Mario Biaggi. Even though the interest of hate crimes has increased in recent developments, it has deep historic roots that dates back into time. Statistics of U.S. history has shown that assaults, murders, and acts of vandalism has stemmed from hatred. The first hate crime victims were Native Americans and since then almost all U.S. immigrants have been exposed to violence, discriminationRead MoreEssay about Hate Crime Victimization1642 Words   |  7 Pagesof murders, assaults, and acts of vandalism and desecration were fueled by bigotry† (Karmen, 2013, p. 350). Hate crime victimization is a very prevalent and serious issue that exists amongst our society today that is often used to demonstrate a form of hate towards a particular group of people; primarily minority groups. â€Å"Although each state employs a different definition of ha te crime, most statutes include groups singled out on the basis of race (such as African Americans or Asian Americans)Read MoreHate Crimes on the Rise in USA780 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Hate Crimes in the United States In many cities throughout the United States, hate crimes are on the rise. A hate crime is a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias. For the purposes of collecting statistics, Congress has  defined a  hate  crime  as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offenders bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation (FBI, 2012). Hate crimes have increasedRead MoreThe Fight Against Hate1268 Words   |  6 Pagesfreezing weather because he was gay. These two attacks sent outrage throughout the country and inspired tougher punishments against hate crimes. (A hate crime is any crime that is committed due to a bias towards a particular group of people.) Currently, forty states and the District of Columbia have passed hate crime laws. Those laws ban any crime connected to bias based on gender, race, origin, sexual orientation, disability, or religion. Only nineteen of those states, however, have laws that includeRead MoreHate Crimes And The Response Of Law Enforcement Officers Essay1370 Words   |  6 PagesThe phrase â€Å"Hate Crime† rose to prominence in the 1980s, in an attempt to describe crimes against someone based on their race or religion. These crimes were motivated, at least in part and sometimes in entirety, by bias against African Americans and Jews. Since that time, the term has expanded to include illegal acts against a person, organization, and their property based on the criminal’s bias against the victim’s minority class. These minority classes include race and ethnicity, sexual orientationRead MoreHate Crime : Hate Crimes1454 Words   |  6 PagesHate Crimes Hate crimes, two small words with a very big meaning. Hate crimes are happening everywhere, some hit the news, some go into newspapers and others don’t even make it to the point of any social awareness at all. Hate crimes are a targeted attack, one that should not be taken lightly. While hate crime laws infringe on free speech rights, acts of hate should be criminalized because groups of hate crimes have had a huge impact on social behavior for a long period of time, hate crimes victimizeRead More Hate Crime Laws Essay1378 Words   |  6 Pageshorrific crimes should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. That is why I strongly support hate crime laws. Now, before I dive into this very controversial subject, I should probably define what hate crime laws are so you will have a better understanding of what I am talking about. As I have understood it, hate crime laws are laws that protect certain minorities or groups from bias motivated violence and harassment, and also more harshly punish people that commit these crimes againstRead MoreEssay on Hate Crimes Against Gays and Lesbians1379 Words   |  6 PagesHate Crimes Against Gays and Lesbians LaReese Nixon Kaplan University CJ490: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Prof: Deborah Barrett August 7, 2012 Abstract Introduction Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons frequently face violence motivated by their sexuality or gender identity. Violence may be executed by the state, as in laws prescribing corporal punishment for homosexual acts, or by individuals engaging in intimidation, mobbing, assault, or lynching. Violence targeted