Revisiting Hate Crimes in the Shadow of Mass Incarceration

95 N.Y.U. L. Rev. Online 149 (2020)

22 Pages Posted: 1 Nov 2022

See all articles by Shirin Sinnar

Shirin Sinnar

Stanford University

Beth A. Colgan

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - School of Law

Date Written: September 21, 2020

Abstract

Although civil rights advocates have largely supported hate crimes laws over the last four decades, growing concern over mass incarceration is now leading some to question the focus on enhancing prison sentences. This Essay explores two alternatives to the traditional sentence enhancement model that might retain the expressive message of hate crimes laws--to convey society's particular condemnation of crimes of bias--while relying less heavily on police and prisons: the reformation of victim compensation programs to help victims and targeted communities and the application of restorative justice processes to hate crimes. Each of these alternatives presents complications, but both offer sufficient potential to justify further exploration.

Keywords: hate crimes, policing, bias, compensation, restorative justice

Suggested Citation

Sinnar, Shirin and Colgan, Beth A., Revisiting Hate Crimes in the Shadow of Mass Incarceration (September 21, 2020). 95 N.Y.U. L. Rev. Online 149 (2020), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4255198

Shirin Sinnar

Stanford University ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305
United States

Beth A. Colgan (Contact Author)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - School of Law ( email )

385 Charles E. Young Dr. East
Room 1242
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1476
United States
310-825-6996 (Phone)

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
19
Abstract Views
72
PlumX Metrics