Hate crimes are crimes that are motivated by hate or prejudice, whether it is based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender. Many people argue that these crimes should carry extra penalties because, in the words of former Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, ‘this conduct is thought to inflict greater individual and societal harm…bias-motivated crimes are more likely to provoke retaliatory crimes, inflict distinct emotional harms on their victims, and incite community unrest’. Opponents of hate-crime laws argue that extra penalties amount to prosecuting people for thought crimes.
Hate Crimes
examines both sides of this debate.