It’s good law

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Care to explain that opinion?

For example why is “laying in wait” or “by poison” more deserving of “with special circumstances” in some States?

In the US, the KKK’s criminal activities is an example of where the term “hate crimes” could easily applied. Although labelled “hate” crimes, they are really about prejudices – the emphasis is the criminal conduct was motivated by prejudice.

The laws are fluid and evolve according to societal needs. Crimes, With Special Circumstances. are necessary additions to criminal law. Once the crime is designated “with special circumstances”, for example in a murder case the only penalty is death or life without the possibility of parole. It’s good law

Yup.

Also true.

I do not see that as a slippery slope, I see it as an important stand for society to make.

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To be sure, it was a bit of typical political hyperbole. However, his underlying point was valid, IMHO.

Did you look at the list of (Class 6 felony) provisions in § 18.2-57. Assault and battery and the historical record of how it has expanded and/or see the proposed bills for further expansion?

Comment by Dave Hicks — February 9, 2013 @ 2:18 pm

I agree with that. But I would add to it that white collar crimes are also
under prosecuted because the white collar criminal tends to have more money, more influence, and can afford to hire the best legal counsel.The scales of justice are tilted toward the affluent.

…deliberate planning, stalking, harming or killing of someone because of the group they belong to. Whether it is red-headed women, racial or cultural, LGBT, or dentists. A crime aimed at a group, even if perpetrated on one is a greater threat to that group and society. [emphasis added]

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So, why is the statutory definition of hate crime limited to only certain groups or categories?

BTW, in our judicial system (or court system, if you prefer) all crime is against the State. Hence, unlike Sharia law we do not have Diya.

Less someone accuse me of picking on Sharia law, we also do not have Éraic or Ericfine, or galanas or weregild or Główszczyzna, etc either.

Dave Hicks, I think you are misapplying “Political Correctness” in relation to “hate Crime”.

On the surface, yes killing is killing. But it is not “political correctness” to look beyond the surface, it is human nature. There are levels of killing, from accidental, incidental to accessory to manslaughter to homicide; there are degrees of the action. We always want to know “the motive” and it is very frustrating when none is apparent. WHY that matters is also human nature, not political correctness.

Killing someone in a moment of anger, in the commission of another crime or in the course of a personal situation is different that the deliberate planning, stalking, harming or killing of someone because of the group they belong to. Whether it is red-headed women, racial or cultural, LGBT, or dentists. A crime aimed at a group, even if perpetrated on one is a greater threat to that group and society. That is also not “political correctness” it is honest evaluation of purpose and threat.

I do support enhanced penalties for murdering a law enforcement officer in performance of his or her duties because such a killing is not just against another human being, it is against society, it is the ultimate repudiation of our laws to kill someone tasked with enforcing those laws.

I think your delegate was engaged in hyperbole. I do not see that as a slippery slope, I see it as an important stand for society to make.

FWIIW, I think that the “Real Colors”, KDSII, Johari’s Window / Johari’s House, PES, Meta-emotion, FIRO, etc are going in the wrong direction.

IMHO, they over simplify what should expanded.

As I have posted before 16 groups are not enough, IMHO. I think that the issue of authoritarianism v. libertarianism and overlying attention to process v. people needs to be added to M-B.

Although I think all these approaches have something to add to understanding people and system of behaviors and psychological processes occurring within a social group (intra-group dynamics), and between social groups (inter-group dynamics), what is missing, IMHO, is a big picture model.

IMHO, what is missing in these studies is something like what the Lambda-CDM model / the standard model of Big Bang cosmology is to the field of theoretical astrophysics — i.e., an overall model for observers to look for data that can refute any given model (or suggest improvements to any given model) or to help in choosing between several alternate and/or conflicting models, hence leading to insight into the heart of what is going on human behavior.

BTW, none of that is to take away from Real Colors or the work that you did. Providing such insight in an organization can make a big improvement in process as well as help meet peoples, needs.

As for sentencing, we are not so far apart. I think it reasonable and logical for a murdered who kidnaps his or her victim, tortures the victim, then murders the victim should receive a longer sentence than the murderer who kills his or her victim in a fit of anger or jealousy. I think it reasonable and logical for someone who murders a witness to receive a longer sentence because of the chilling impact such a murder has on the criminal justice system.

At least we agree regarding the war on drugs and the leniency with which we treat white collar crimes! Good stuff, Dave!

The other 15 types have great strengths, too. When we can identify those individual strengths and put people in positions that allow them to use their strenghts daily, we are much more likely to be successful.

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Absolutely!

Back before retirement I worked in an environment that worked very hard at balancing and using strengths of the various personality types. We all knew each others personality type (as professionally assessed). We were all trained in dealing with each others personality type. I had a number of folk working for me who I absolutely relied on to fill in blanks / fill in my blind spots for me. The knowledge was key in making assignments. It saved my … quite often.

Contrary to what some seem to think, when I talk about being an INTJ I am not bragging. I had no more credit for being one M-B personality type v. another than I had for being a redhead in my youth or for having near-white grey hair now. I just through it out to help other understand me. No more, no less.

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Re: Jason Perdue @ 2:08 am

I do not see that such a murder is designed to intimidate other dentists.

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Note that I said, “if someone was targeting dentist would you support enhanced penalties for murdering dentist in performance of his or her duties? [emphasis added]” not just happened to randomly pick a dentist.

Maybe I should have said, “if someone was targeting dentists would you support enhanced penalties for murdering dentist in performance of his or her duties?”

Or maybe I shoud have said “if someone was targeting abortion providers would you support enhanced penalties for murdering abortion providers in performance of his or her duties?

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Re: Jason Perdue @ 2:08 am

Are you asserting, then, that all murders are essentially equal in severity and should be punished with the same, determinate sentence? Does motive make any difference? Does the murder of a witness not merit enhanced punishment?

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Once you get pass the involuntary manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter, premeditated murder, etc type of classification and an evaluation of mental complacence / maturity of the prep, I feel that all homicides are essentially equal in severity and should be punished with the same sentence.

IMHO, most if not all of the “special circumstances” (including the mode or weapon, murders by “x”; or “lying in wait”, etc; or with the accompaniment of other offenses, such as kidnapping, hijacking, robbery; or with an intention of financial gain, murder for hire, etc; or of a pregnant women; or of a government officials on public duty; or involving extreme torture; or the convicted felon has committed such a crime before) should not be considered more serious. The very fact that the various States’ laws are all over the place on “special circumstances” shows, IMHO, the lack of agreement on this issue. Were there more agreement, were there more logic, had such laws any real effect on crime, IMHO, there would be more uniformity.

That does not mean that multiple charges/convictions with sentences to be served consecutively might not be in order. Nor does it mean that a well thought out three-strike-type law might not be in order.

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Re: Jason Perdue @ 2:08 am

I think state and federal prosecutors should divert attention away from prosecuting drug crimes and focus their efforts on individual and corporate fraud.

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I couldn’t agree more. FWIIW, I think that “white collar” crime is under prosecuted and the sentences are far too soft because of the lack of public’s emotional reaction and media outrage that creates the “special circumstances” enhancements to a killings.