Citation

Levy BL, Levy DL. Soc. Sci. Res. 2017; 61: 142-159.

Affiliation

Department of Social Work, Appalachian State University, ASU Box 32155, 331 Edwin Duncan Hall, Boone, NC 28608, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.06.008

PMID

27886725

PMCID

PMC5124441

Abstract

Do public policies on gay and lesbian rights affect the incidence of hate crimes based on sexual orientation? We propose that legal inequalities increase hate crimes because they provide discursive opportunities for bias, discrimination, and violence. Legal equality, however, will reduce violence. Using annual panel data from 2000 to 2012, a period of substantial policy change, we analyze how three state policies affect reported hate crimes: same-sex partnerships, employment non-discrimination, and hate crime laws. Hate crime and employment non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation reduce hate crime incidence. Partnership recognition increases reported hate crimes, though it may not increase actual crime incidence. Because incidence is spatially correlated, policy changes in one state yield spillover benefits in other states. These results provide some of the first quantitative evidence that public policies affect hate crimes based on sexual orientation.

FINDINGS confirm the roles of institutional heterosexism and discursive opportunities in producing hate crimes.

Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en