Hate crimes are criminal activities that are committed when person targets another because of their membership in a particular social group. Such social groups include religion, gender, sex, ethnicity and race. Hate crimes are usually motivated by bias, and may result in either injury, assault and murder. These crimes may also include destruction of property, bullying, insults, hate mail, verbal abuse and harassment. It is essential to highlight the difference between hate speech and hate crime as the two terms are often used interchangeably though they do not have the same meaning. Hate speech refers to criminalizing various categories of speech while hate crime is associated with behavior already considered as criminal but enhanced by various biases.
Hate crimes should be punished more severely than other forms of crime influenced by passion, anger or pride. This is because these crimes are a threat to various achievements made in civilization. Racism has been a social evil that various generations have fought to curb. A historical analysis of the crimes associated with racism shows that millions of lives have been lost in racially motivated murders. Some of the murders have been on such a large scale that some races have almost been driven to extinction. The Jewish Holocaust is one such example of what racially motivated crimes can result in. Statistics show that religious bias has resulted in more murders than any other single illness, crime, accident or natural calamity.
There are great lessons in history which show what can happen when hate crimes are not controlled. This is why such crimes should receive more severe punishment as a way of reducing their occurrence. Studies have indicated that severe punishment acts as a deterrent to criminal activities.
The significant implications of hate crimes are another reason why perpetrators should receive severe punishment as a way of ensuring justice for the victims. Psychologists indicate that implications of hate crimes are not only felt by the victim but also by others. Hate crimes lead to affective and psychological disturbances. These disturbances have a negative effect on the victim’s self-esteem and identity. Hate crimes also result in widespread terror among the social group which the victim belongs. This feeling terror is as a result of other members of the group feeling vulnerable to the same hate crimes. These crimes also affect other vulnerable groups as they can identify with the sufferings of the victims. Hate crimes have may also result in depression for the victims. The above implications show that hate crimes if not stopped may result in severe emotional and psychological insecurity among various social groups. This is why sever punishment is required for such crimes to ensure the victims receive justice. Severe laws will also help vulnerable social groups feel protected by the law. This is essential because the law is meant to bring equality among people despite of their religion, race, gender, sex or ethnicity.
Hate crimes are criminal activities influenced by biases such as ethnicity, religion, gender, sex and race. These crimes may include injury, assault, murder, hate mail, verbal abuse and harassment. The severity of the consequences of hate crime requires that perpetrators receive harsher punishments. Severe punishment will give victims a feeling of justice, act as a deterrence for such crimes, and will promote a feeling of security among vulnerable groups.
