Hate Crime Protection for Homeless?

Published February 28, 2009 @ 01:01PM PT

The brutal assault and murder of a Florida homeless man earlier this week has shaken a Florida community to its core. At the same time, this tragedy is reminder of a scary reality: without a home, you are more vulnerable to unthinkable cruelty.

Daniel Case was homeless on and off for 10 years. He did light chores for a plumbing company in exchange for a cot and indoor place to sleep. According to police, his death was brutally violent. He was repeatedly beaten over the head with an unidentified object until he died of head trauma. On Monday morning, he was found sitting in a chair, slumped over, behind a plumbing shop where he slept. According to a local paper, no suspects have been identified.

Homeless people who stay outside or more vulnerable to acts of violence. In fact, violence against homeless people has seen such a sharp increase in recent years, there is a strong push to include "homeless" in the categories of people included in federal hate crime protection. The need for such protection is compelling: more than 1 in 4 attacks that are reported against the homeless end in murder. That's huge compared to one-tenth of a percent of other categories protected by hate crime legislation.

We know that everything in politics is about timing. So some might argue that we've got bigger problems to solve, now is no time to talk about amending hate crime protections. But as homelessness worsens, and unemployment increases, I think it's time we take small measures to protect people who are most exposed and vulnerable to violence.

Until then, people already struggling to survive without a home have no choice but to remain extra-alert. Perhaps one Bradenton shelter resident said it best: "That could have been me."

[Photo from the Bradenton Herald: "Bradenton Police officers investigate a tricycle found near the body of a homicide victim discovered Monday morning behind Griggs Plumbing on 12th Avenue West in Bradenton."]

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Comments (6)

THIS MAKES ME SICK BEYOND BELIEF

Posted by Dj MuTeL8r on 03/01/2009 @ 03:27PM PT
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RIP Uncle Dan. Love you!

Posted by Holly Case on 03/02/2009 @ 06:27AM PT
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Tragic story. Solving homelessness has always been a calling of mine. When I was in Los Angeles in the 80's making Gold records I was often out late and would see people laying in the cold without proper blankets or coverings. I would head into the supermarket (when they actually stayed open and the stockers would ring ya up real quick) and buy them some food and essentials.

However, I am against this legislation. I am against hate crime legislation in general and this boggles my mind.

Posted by Erich Elster on 03/08/2009 @ 06:26PM PT
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People who kills and harms homeless people are worthless, they are not even humans in my book. I hope those who did kill the homeless people , will get back what is coming.

Karma does pay back.

Posted by Lara Nunes on 05/11/2009 @ 09:07PM PT
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R.I.P dad. I love and miss you lots

Posted by erin case on 06/30/2009 @ 12:54PM PT
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R.I.P dad. I love and miss you lots!

Posted by erin case on 06/30/2009 @ 12:56PM PT
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Author

Shannon has worked in homeless shelters and service organizations in San Francisco, the Triangle region of North Carolina, and currently in the greater Boston area. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.