Hate Crime Legislation Vague and Inconsistent Among 50 U.S. States
Florida Atlantic University
An analysis of 271 statutes from all 50 U.S. states, found that every state legislates hate crimes differently, resulting in differential justice in these cases. Race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and disability were among the most recognized classes and populations in hate crime legislation. However, coverage differed greatly within these classifications due to how states conceptualize them. Among the study’s key findings: four states did not have any hate crime statutes (Indiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire and South Carolina) and although voting and political expression are paramount in a democracy, only Iowa and West Virginia had statutes that recognized hate crimes motivated by political affiliation. California offered the most encompassing law, as it clearly delineates protected classes and locations, while conceptualizing both.
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