Saturday, July 25, 2009

Hate crimes

Among the many other comments my post on aboriginal incarceration rates raised was a comment suggesting I supported the concept of hate crimes.

Oddly I don't believe I ever posted on hate crimes.

A hate crime is a crime where the punishment is increased based on the intention of the convict. So, if a convict shoots someone to, say, steal their car the crime is seen as lesser than if they shoot someone because they are South Asian.

My first thought is that a shooting is a shooting and the punishment should not depend on the victim. Until recently I thought the concept of 'hate crime' was wrong.

But then I thought more on honour killings.

In an honour killing the crime is dreadful but it is married to an intention to punish perceived misconduct. The act kills the murder victim but intimidates, on purpose, others who remain alive.

And so we have a double crime -- one of murder and another of intimidation.

And based on that I see 'hate' crimes as more serious than other crimes.

(Now, that doesn't change my view that prisons, in their current form, don't work, but that's another issue).

James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

17 comments:

  1. That's an interesting way to have come to your new perspective. You just never know what might enlighten someone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. > A hate crime is a crime where the punishment is increased based on the intention of the convict.

    Um... no, I don't think so.

    A 'hate crime' is a crime targeted specifically against an identifiable group, typically in order to terrorize or intimidate that group.

    Such crimes merit an increased punishment, but are not defined by the increase in punishment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Downes, I agree. My phrasing was very awkward.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Is prison working by keeping Paul Bernardo in jail so he cannot kill other young girls?

    If the answer is Yes, then your position is wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "Canada's gangs are a multiethnic mosaic -- Quebec biker gangs led by French-Canadians; Chinese- and Vietnamese-led gangs in several major cities. One particular problem, Canadian police say, is extensive infiltration of the trucking industry by criminals whose families emigrated from India."

    So let's see here.

    Out of the 4 major problems with the drug trade in Canada, 4 were imported by the Liberal party of Canada.

    Where is the outrage?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Actually I made a mistake. Only 3 out of the 4 major problems in Canada with dope are the result of Liberal multiculturalism.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Actually I made a mistake. Only 3 out of the 4 major problems in Canada with dope are the result of Liberal multiculturalism.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like the way you have come to your position here.

    I suggest the reason this was made an aggravating factor is because it was necessary. This is no difference between considering a domestic assault as aggravating.

    Certain people are considered more vulnerable in our society. You anonymous poster here only proves that point.

    ReplyDelete
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