News and Events => Opinions & Editorials => Topic started by: Natasha on April 29, 2011, 05:28:46 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Why Hate Crimes Charges Are Appropriate in the Beating of a Trans Woman at McDon
Post by: Natasha on April 29, 2011, 05:28:46 PM
Post by: Natasha on April 29, 2011, 05:28:46 PM
Why Hate Crimes Charges Are Appropriate in the Beating of a Trans Woman at McDonald's
http://www.bilerico.com/2011/04/why_hate_crimes_charges_are_appropriate_in_the_bea.php (http://www.bilerico.com/2011/04/why_hate_crimes_charges_are_appropriate_in_the_bea.php)
4/29/11
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
There have been calls for "hate crimes" charges in the brutal assault on Chrissy Lee Polis in a Maryland McDonald's. Those charges would allow a longer sentence for those convicted of committing a crime, such as assault, found to be motivated by animus against a protected category. In other words, if you commit a crime against someone because of their race, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation and/or gender identity, then the sentence received can be longer than usually permitted for the underlying crime.
At the same time, some caution, as writer and academic Yasmin Nair did today in an earlier post, Why Hate Crimes Legislation Is Still Not a Solution, against the use of "hate crimes" charges. The concern there is that the "prison industrial complex already unfairly targets people of color, queer, and gender-non-conforming people for incarceration. Those picked up via HCL are disproportionately people of color and economically disenfranchised. Furthermore, hate crimes legislation does little to nothing to actually discourage crime."
http://www.bilerico.com/2011/04/why_hate_crimes_charges_are_appropriate_in_the_bea.php (http://www.bilerico.com/2011/04/why_hate_crimes_charges_are_appropriate_in_the_bea.php)
4/29/11
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
There have been calls for "hate crimes" charges in the brutal assault on Chrissy Lee Polis in a Maryland McDonald's. Those charges would allow a longer sentence for those convicted of committing a crime, such as assault, found to be motivated by animus against a protected category. In other words, if you commit a crime against someone because of their race, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation and/or gender identity, then the sentence received can be longer than usually permitted for the underlying crime.
At the same time, some caution, as writer and academic Yasmin Nair did today in an earlier post, Why Hate Crimes Legislation Is Still Not a Solution, against the use of "hate crimes" charges. The concern there is that the "prison industrial complex already unfairly targets people of color, queer, and gender-non-conforming people for incarceration. Those picked up via HCL are disproportionately people of color and economically disenfranchised. Furthermore, hate crimes legislation does little to nothing to actually discourage crime."