Hate Crimes on the Internet

Abstract

The Internet serves as a channel for electronic communication on an international level. While communication on the Internet has grown exponentially, the proliferation of crimes in cyberspace has become rampant. Hate crimes, in particular, have become increasingly prevalent on the Internet. In this past decade, the United States government has taken significant measures to combat the proliferation of hate crimes. This paper reports six cases of "cyberhate" crimes and emphasizes pertinent legal issues surrounding them. Current modes of intervention are discussed, ranging from local to national levels. The forensic psychiatrist may undertake a challenging role in the interpretation of the hateful criminal mind at the interface of psychiatry and the law.