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Comment by Fjolsvith | Hacker News Reader

The author fails to mention one significant factor to the self-segregation of prison populations in the federal prison system. The federal hate crime law makes an assault upon a person of a different color punishable by a mandatory 25 year sentence.

So, if a white had a problem with a hispanic, he had to take it to the white shot-callers (gang bosses) who then went to the hispanic shot-callers. The hispanic bosses would then discipline their member (which could entail forcing him to repay a debt, or assaulting or even murdering him). As long as the violence didn't cross racial bounds, the hate crime doesn't apply.

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hate crime laws don't apply to every attack upon someone of a different color. they only apply if the attack is BECAUSE of the victim's color. if you're attacking the other guy because he goosed your sister, it's not a hate crime no matter what color he is.

Tell that to the judge.

Take a second to think about what you're saying. You're basically talking about prison revenge scenarios. Do you seriously think the real reasons are ever going to be admitted?

"Your honour, I didn't shank him because I hate hispanics, it's because he stole my dope!"

oh, I understand that. ...but saying it's due to the hate crime law is not the same thing as using that law as an excuse. My point is that it's being misused, not denying that it happens.

Just because the real reasons wont be admitted, it will not automatically be considered a hate crime.

Well, actually, SIS (Special Investigative Service), the "cops" in the federal system, treats any altercation between different colors as racially motivated.

Think about it. The reason they (SIS) automatically assume altercations as racially motivated is because the gangs in federal prison "take care of business" (i.e. punish someone for something wrong) within their own ethnic group.

So, if there _is_ any violence across ethnic groups, it's due to racial motivation.

that seems like a hard thing to prove in individual cases (without some sort of collusion).

What I mean is, SIS automatically assumes inter-race altercations are racially motivated. They do this because the gangs prevent inter-race altercations that have to do with drugs, money, pride, etc. The gangs have a "justice system" and handle that stuff without getting the cops involved as much as possible.

So, if somethings brews up, it's usually without gang sanction and racially motivated.

That's fascinating. Can you link to more information / data / anecdotes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_crime_laws_in_the_United_S...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard_and_James_Byrd,...

http://www.alternet.org/story/27726/hate_crimes_in_prison

On one of my con-air flights, I sat by a guy who was being transferred to court for a new charge from the U.S. Supermax at Florence, Colorado. He was, of course, doing life. He joked with me that the only way he got to travel and see the sights and eat some good food was to kill a guard every now and then.

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