Police and Judicial Responses to Gay and Transgender Hate Crime Murders
Step 1: Choosing the Topic
I have selected the topic, topic titled Police and Judicial Responses to Gay and Transgender Hate Crime Murders would be pertinent to this case study because this illustrates how systematic prejudices and the law contribute to the handling of hate crimes against the members of the LGBTQ+ community. The term of reference I will be particularly interested in is the extent to which the mechanisms of police and judicial systems have responded to hate crimes against the members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Step 2: Finding a Case Study
Matthew Shepard is one of the gay hate crime stories that became rather popular and led to undesirable alterations of American legislation and peoples mindset. Matthew Shepard was a 21 years of age college student who was nearly lynched to death and left to die in a remote area in Laramie Wyoming in 1998 because he was suspected to be a homosexual. This case is not only about the fact that the level of violence against the representatives of the LGBTQ+ community is unprecedentedly high, but also about the problem, and the police and judicial investigations as well (Woods, 2024).
Step 3: Writing the Facts and Identifying Key Issues
Facts of the Case:
Matthew Shepard, for example, suffered a heinous fate on October 6, 1998, when two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, who claimed to have similar interests as him, offered to take him home. They locked him in a secluded area, handcuffed him to the fence, and proceeded to beat him to death (Woods, 2024).
Key Issues:
Police Response: The first response from the police identified themselves and immediately began a quick investigation of the crime scene. However, some concerns were raised concerning the adequacy of training of the police in the prosecution of hate crimes.
Judicial Response: From the police and judicial actions, the analysis focused on the investigation of the case and especially on the fact that the crime was prosecuted as a hate crime which was not a federal crime in the United States at the time (Barnes, 2020).
Step 4: Briefly Analyze the Case and Issues
Theoretical Framework: Queer Theory
It is useful to refer to queer theory when going through and interpreting how constant prejudice and hetero-normativity result in violence against queer people. Queer theory fights against homophobia and attempts to challenge the binary way of perceiving sexuality and gender. For instance, queer theory helps in explaining how the bigoted world and homophobic expectations towards Matthew Shepard influenced his murderers and the first reaction of society and organizations (Woods, 2024).
Scholarly Research:
One key scholarly source that discusses these issues is "Hate Crimes: Causes, Controls, and Controversies" an article by Phyllis B. Gerstenfeld published in 2017. In the article, Gerstenfeld provides a sociological and psychological analysis of hate crimes and the factors that may lead persons to become hate crime performers (Gerstenfeld, 2017).
Analysis:
The murder of Matthew Shepard can be discussed taking into consideration that queer theory enables us to speak about violence being not an exception to the rules, but the result of homophobic tendencies. While hate crime legislation such as the Matthew Shepard Act serves as useful to address hate crimes, Gerstenfelds studies show that it requires appropriate enforcement for police training and persistence through enhanced community awareness (Loffreda, 2001).
Step 1: Choosing the Topic
I have selected the topic, topic titled Police and Judicial Responses to Gay and Transgender Hate Crime Murders would be pertinent to this case study because this illustrates how systematic prejudices and the law contribute to the handling of hate crimes against the members of the LGBTQ+ community. The term of reference I will be particularly interested in is the extent to which the mechanisms of police and judicial systems have responded to hate crimes against the members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Step 2: Finding a Case Study
Matthew Shepard is one of the gay hate crime stories that became rather popular and led to undesirable alterations of American legislation and peoples mindset. Matthew Shepard was a 21 years of age college student who was nearly lynched to death and left to die in a remote area in Laramie Wyoming in 1998 because he was suspected to be a homosexual. This case is not only about the fact that the level of violence against the representatives of the LGBTQ+ community is unprecedentedly high, but also about the problem, and the police and judicial investigations as well (Woods, 2024).
Step 3: Writing the Facts and Identifying Key Issues
Facts of the Case:
Matthew Shepard, for example, suffered a heinous fate on October 6, 1998, when two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, who claimed to have similar interests as him, offered to take him home. They locked him in a secluded area, handcuffed him to the fence, and proceeded to beat him to death (Woods, 2024).
Key Issues:
Police Response: The first response from the police identified themselves and immediately began a quick investigation of the crime scene. However, some concerns were raised concerning the adequacy of training of the police in the prosecution of hate crimes.
Judicial Response: From the police and judicial actions, the analysis focused on the investigation of the case and especially on the fact that the crime was prosecuted as a hate crime which was not a federal crime in the United States at the time (Barnes, 2020).
Step 4: Briefly Analyze the Case and Issues
Theoretical Framework: Queer Theory
It is useful to refer to queer theory when going through and interpreting how constant prejudice and hetero-normativity result in violence against queer people. Queer theory fights against homophobia and attempts to challenge the binary way of perceiving sexuality and gender. For instance, queer theory helps in explaining how the bigoted world and homophobic expectations towards Matthew Shepard influenced his murderers and the first reaction of society and organizations (Woods, 2024).
Scholarly Research:
One key scholarly source that discusses these issues is "Hate Crimes: Causes, Controls, and Controversies" an article by Phyllis B. Gerstenfeld published in 2017. In the article, Gerstenfeld provides a sociological and psychological analysis of hate crimes and the factors that may lead persons to become hate crime performers (Gerstenfeld, 2017).
Analysis:
The murder of Matthew Shepard can be discussed taking into consideration that queer theory enables us to speak about violence being not an exception to the rules, but the result of homophobic tendencies. While hate crime legislation such as the Matthew Shepard Act serves as useful to address hate crimes, Gerstenfelds studies show that it requires appropriate enforcement for police training and persistence through enhanced community awareness (Loffreda, 2001).
Are you struggling to keep up with the demands of your academic journey? Don't worry, we've got your back!
Exam Question Bank is your trusted partner in achieving academic excellence for all kind of technical and non-technical subjects. Our comprehensive range of academic services is designed to cater to students at every level. Whether you're a high school student, a college undergraduate, or pursuing advanced studies, we have the expertise and resources to support you.
To connect with expert and ask your query click here Exam Question Bank
