My interview with Professor Michael Hooper mainly focused on how police handle hate crimes. Before becoming a professor, he was a police officer for the LAPD. Professor Hooper first informed me that officers who investigate any crimes that appear to motivated by hate are required to flag the reports by putting the letter “H”, and circling it, at the top of the report. Having the “H” at the top indicates to the detectives that this case may involve a hate crime. One very important thing to remember is that hate crimes are just considered penalty enhancements, meaning they only increase the penalty for the offense (M. Hooper November 10, 2015). It is not its own separate crime. One important topic to know is what are the policies and regulations
…show more content…
There are only five states that do not have a specific law. One of these states includes South Carolina. This has become a huge talking point since the young white gunman shot up an African American church in Charleston, SC. Prosecution is unable to add the hate crime charges due to the state not having a law. The federal government could get involved- if they don’t thing the state’s law is properly proportionally to the crime committed- and add on hate crime charges (Doubek 2015). In the textbook Introduction to Criminology, it shows that over the years there has been a number of hate crime legislation in the United States. In 1990, the President enacted the Hate Crime Statistics Act, which required the attorney general to great a system to collect data about hate crimes. In 1994, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act allowed the Hate Crime Statistics Act to enhance the penalties for bias motivated crimes. Next, the Church Arson Prevention Act was passed in 1996, which prohibit any damage to be done to religious property or attempts to prevent someone from exercising their personal beliefs. In 1997, the Campus Hate Crimes Right To Know Act was enacted, stating school campuses are required to collect and report all hate crime incidents on campus. Lastly, in 2009 the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, JR., Hate Crimes Prevention Act was passed. This act states that it is against the law to knowingly …show more content…
It is nothing more than providing harsher sentencing for those who commit offenses, but the legislation does nothing to address and help the victims. It also provides “little opportunity for offender accountability or personal empowerment for victims” (Shenk 2001: 212). Based on this, what ways would be best to respond to hate crime offenders and their victims? A way to help reduce the amount of re-offenders is the use of restorative justice. This type of justice will help the offenders’ rehabilitate as well as helping the victims. One program is the victim-offender mediation, which is where both the offenders and victims can talk with each other and express their thoughts and feelings. This method can hopefully open up the offenders’ eyes to how much there actions harm the individual and the community. The victim may learn why they were targeted, what the offender was thinking, and ultimately allow them to have an emotional release. Mediation helps humanize what went on and hopefully it will break down any barriers of prejudice and stereotypes (Shenk 2001: 214). Using restorative justice could be the perfect strategy to fill the gaps that are apparent in the hate crime legislation because it also takes the victims into
There are only five states that do not have a specific law. One of these states includes South Carolina. This has become a huge talking point since the young white gunman shot up an African American church in Charleston, SC. Prosecution is unable to add the hate crime charges due to the state not having a law. The federal government could get involved- if they don’t thing the state’s law is properly proportionally to the crime committed- and add on hate crime charges (Doubek 2015). In the textbook Introduction to Criminology, it shows that over the years there has been a number of hate crime legislation in the United States. In 1990, the President enacted the Hate Crime Statistics Act, which required the attorney general to great a system to collect data about hate crimes. In 1994, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act allowed the Hate Crime Statistics Act to enhance the penalties for bias motivated crimes. Next, the Church Arson Prevention Act was passed in 1996, which prohibit any damage to be done to religious property or attempts to prevent someone from exercising their personal beliefs. In 1997, the Campus Hate Crimes Right To Know Act was enacted, stating school campuses are required to collect and report all hate crime incidents on campus. Lastly, in 2009 the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, JR., Hate Crimes Prevention Act was passed. This act states that it is against the law to knowingly …show more content…
It is nothing more than providing harsher sentencing for those who commit offenses, but the legislation does nothing to address and help the victims. It also provides “little opportunity for offender accountability or personal empowerment for victims” (Shenk 2001: 212). Based on this, what ways would be best to respond to hate crime offenders and their victims? A way to help reduce the amount of re-offenders is the use of restorative justice. This type of justice will help the offenders’ rehabilitate as well as helping the victims. One program is the victim-offender mediation, which is where both the offenders and victims can talk with each other and express their thoughts and feelings. This method can hopefully open up the offenders’ eyes to how much there actions harm the individual and the community. The victim may learn why they were targeted, what the offender was thinking, and ultimately allow them to have an emotional release. Mediation helps humanize what went on and hopefully it will break down any barriers of prejudice and stereotypes (Shenk 2001: 214). Using restorative justice could be the perfect strategy to fill the gaps that are apparent in the hate crime legislation because it also takes the victims into