Hate and Bias Crime: A Reader

In Montana, the young Matthew Shepard was gaybashed and left to die on a deserted roadside. Children at a Jewish daycare center in California were attacked by anti-Semitic gummen. In Texas, a black man was dragged to death from the back of a pick-up truck. And soon after September 11th, a number of Sikh men were targeted and killed, mistaken as Muslims. These are the hate crimes that fill the headlines of daily newspapers and are graphically detailed on evening newscasts. Whether motivated by race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexuality, hate crimes are perpetrated every day and in every state across the country. Hate and Bias Crime: A Reader is the first collection to bring together the essential literature on bias-motivated crimes by the most respected scholars in the field. The essays draw upon an array of academic disciplines, including sociology, criminology, psychology, political science, history, and law, establishing a comprehensive understanding of these crimes. By providing a coherent view of an otherwise diverse field, the anthology moves beyond black and white issues in its focus on minority violence, analyzes the rise in terrorism since the September 11th attacks, and discusses strategies for preventing and combating these crimes. Completely current and up-to-date, this volume also includes useful information on recent hate crime legislation, hate crime statistics, and anti-hate resources. Hate and Bias Crime: A Reader is an indispensable resource for those interested in this growing problem. Book jacket.