Hate Crimes in America

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Hate Crimes in America

Robert Bowie Holland

COM 172

March 28, 2012

Kim Martin


Hate Crimes in America

               America is the land of the free, a nation in which any person from any walk of life should be able to come and live in peace, walk down any street in any neighborhood unmolested, something hatred will not allow.  Hate-crimes in America come in many colors, races, and religions.  One thing, which is certain, no one race color or religion is more hateful for such crimes than the other.  Many hate-crimes just seem to be hidden more from view than others, and even interpreted so as not to be a hate crime.

               According to the Office of Justice Programs, hate-crimes, do not just cause, physical injuries to its victims, the damages to the victims are far reaching, inasmuch as they cause, psychological, and emotional damage to the victims.  Fear and humiliation go hand-in-hand with hate-crimes and can also endanger lives of innocent citizens when not properly addressed.  Hate- crime offenders commit all types of crime depending, on what motivates the offender.  Offenders usually provide evidence that hate prompted their actions, regardless of whether it was a violent crime or even a crime against property.  A victims, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or race can all play a part in hate crimes.  The "Office of Justice Programs Fact Sheet" (2011) website

               As of December 2011, 45 States currently provide statistics for hate crimes that differ in categorization of crimes, and protected groups, including a difference in penalties.  However, varying statutes across the 45 states make data collection hard to estimate the presence of hate crimes accurately.  What Congress did, was to pass the “Hate-Crimes and Statistics Act” in 1990, allowing the Justice Department to gather data on hate crimes.  The "Office of Justice Programs Fact Sheet" (2011) website

               “The Office of Justice Programs”, consist of several agencies, such as the “Bureau of Justice Assistance” (BJA).  This agency supports prosecutors and police in response to hate crimes and also funds numerous anti-hate projects.  Another agency is the “National Institute of Justice” (NIJ).  Their work was responsible for finding gaps in the research of hate-crimes and also aided in the creation of a federal repository for hate-crime information, to help identify and address issues of inconsistencies in data collection.  One more agency is the “Bureau of Justice Statistics” (BJS), which is responsible for funding “The National Crime Victimization Survey the primary source of information regarding criminal victimization nationally.”  (“LCCR Education Fund, 2009”).

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               “Hate Crimes in America 2009” (The Leadership Conference 2009 p.1) Hate has a face, a human face.  There was no shortage of information regarding hate-crimes in America.  “The Leadership Conference, the nations, premier civil, and human rights coalition,” (The Leadership Conference June, 2009 p. 1)  have identified hate crimes.  The Leadership Conference showed Hate-crimes as crimes against African Americans, Hispanics, Jews, Asian Pacific Americans, Arab Americans, Muslims, Sikhs, Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transgender, Individuals with Disabilities, Women, and Juveniles.  ("LCCR Education Fund", 2009).

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