NCJ Number
147535
Date Published
1994
Length
128 pages
Annotation
This handbook was written primarily for prosecutors in Cook County, Illinois, to increase their familiarity with hate crime law and to improve their ability to prosecute individuals who commit hate crimes.
Abstract
Handbook chapters are written for ready reference and assume that prosecutors will not read the entire book each time they handle a hate crime case. Chapters are supplemented with footnoted legal citations and sociological and criminological data relating to the chapter topic. Prosecutors should find the footnotes useful in writing briefs and motions and in preparing for sentencing hearings. The first four chapters focus on the hate crime policy of the Cook County State Attorney's Office, the history and context of ethnic intimidation and hate crime laws, the Illinois hate crime statute and relevant case law, and procedures to be followed by the Cook County State Attorney's Office in tracking hate crime cases. The final four chapters deal with pretrial procedures in hate- motivated crimes, courtroom strategies, community relations issues, and special considerations related to hate crimes (race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and disability). Appendixes provide further information on felony prosecution procedures in Cook County, the Illinois hate crime statute, jury instructions in hate crime cases, sentencing of hate crime offenders, and resources for hate crime victims. 205 references and 2 figures