What are “hate crimes”?

Hate crimes are a type of violent crime in which the perpetrator has deliberately chosen their victim because of their race, religion, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. In Tennessee, hate crimes are defined as any criminal act that is motivated by hatred, bias, or prejudice against any individual or group of individuals due to their identity. Examples of hate crimes include physical assaults, threats of violence, property damage, or intimidation. These types of crimes can have a large impact on their victims and their communities as a whole. Perpetrators of hate crimes often target their victims because of characteristics that are important to them, such as their skin color, religious beliefs, or national origin. These criminal acts not only cause physical and psychological harm to the victims, but they also can create a feeling of fear and mistrust within entire communities. In order to combat hate crimes, the state of Tennessee has implemented a Hate Crime Statute. This statute increases the penalties for those convicted of hate crimes and requires law enforcement to track incidents of hate crimes. The goal of this statute is to not only punish those who commit hate crimes, but to also send a message to those who would attempt to commit these types of crimes that they will not be tolerated.

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