1st Edition
Disability Hate Crimes Does Anyone Really Hate Disabled People?
Disability hate crimes are a global problem. They are often violent and hyper-aggressive, with life-changing effects on victims, and they send consistent messages of intolerance and bigotry. This ground-breaking book shows that disability hate crimes do exist, that they have unique characteristics which distinguish them from other hate crimes, and that more effective policies and practices can and must be developed to respond and prevent them. With particular focus on the UK and USA's contrasting response to this issue, this book will help readers to define hate crimes as well as place them within their wider social context. It discusses the need for legislative recognition and essential improvements on the reporting of incidents and assistance for individual victims of these crimes, as well as the need to address the social exclusion of disabled people and the negative attitudes surrounding their condition.
Biography
Mark Sherry is Assistant Professor in the Sociology Department at the University of Toledo, Ohio, USA.
'Mark Sherry's book is a major expansion of disability studies. It is of importance to everyone interested in the interface between the law, law enforcement, and the power of stereotypes. A necessary addition to the scholar's, the lawyer's and the judge's library.' Sander L. Gilman, Emory University, USA 'Mark Sherry’s book Disability Hate Crimes guides readers through some of the darkest corners of human experience. These places previously have been left virtually unexplored, but they cannot be ignored. Society needs to confront these crimes and to do so we need to understand the attitudes that create them.' Dick Sobsey, University of Alberta, Canada 'Sherry is one of the most subtle and at the same time one of the most pointed of disability theorists and activists. This is an essential book, by an intellectual and political leader with international perspective.' Recommended by Susan Schweik as part of the Berkeley Books program ’...groundbreaking...This work will help readers to define hate crimes as well as place the issue of disability hate crimes in their wider social context...Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.’ Choice 'This is a highly engaging and thought provoking book which should be read by anyone interested in the mistreatment and categorical treatment of disabled people. Beyond disability studies I would hope that criminal justice, criminological, social work and wider professional and academic audiences would read this book as it highlights the very real challenges faced by some disabled people.' Disability & Society '[Sherry] spent 10 years of his life working on this book and it shows. It is rich in factual accounts of hate crimes using primary sources garnered through court cases and the Freedom of Information Act, as well as interviews with judicial and police officials. ... this book marks a timely analysis of a persistent problem that is finally getting recognition in different nations around the world. ... The purpose of
