Friday, March 30, 2007
Homeless Hate Crime Law – Nice concept, but can it be implemented?
"Hoping to remove the stigma of homelessness and curb future attacks, state Sen. Darrell Steinberg has introduced a bill to make attacking homeless people a hate crime. The bill, Senate Bill 122, would add a person's homeless status along with disability, gender, nationality and race to criteria for hate crimes. Prosecutors could seek up to a year in jail and $5,000 in fines. " -from Protecting the homeless, March 25, 2007, The Sacramento Bee.
Attacking innocent people on the streets should never be tolerated, homeless or not! However, to make such a law work we need first to define “homeless.” That term is very loosely defined today. Roughly speaking it is anyone without a permanent address.
So, does the law apply only to person out on the street? Or, does it apply to those living in a daily rate hotel, or sleeping on the floor at a friend’s house? Does it apply to a person who has an address but chooses to sleep on the street? I would rather we enhance and enforce the laws currently on the books and apply them to the maximum against those who willfully inflict violence on someone less powerful – on or off the streets – rather than add a vaguely defined term to a clear list of things that merit hate crime status.
Let’s focus on providing sufficient temporary and permanent safe housing, rather than clog up the courts with one more legal status to defend.
--Herb Smith, President
Attacking innocent people on the streets should never be tolerated, homeless or not! However, to make such a law work we need first to define “homeless.” That term is very loosely defined today. Roughly speaking it is anyone without a permanent address.
So, does the law apply only to person out on the street? Or, does it apply to those living in a daily rate hotel, or sleeping on the floor at a friend’s house? Does it apply to a person who has an address but chooses to sleep on the street? I would rather we enhance and enforce the laws currently on the books and apply them to the maximum against those who willfully inflict violence on someone less powerful – on or off the streets – rather than add a vaguely defined term to a clear list of things that merit hate crime status.
Let’s focus on providing sufficient temporary and permanent safe housing, rather than clog up the courts with one more legal status to defend.
--Herb Smith, President
