Book Review: Pearlman, T. (2008). Sanctioning Bias Crime: A Public Perspective. New York: LFB Scholarly, pp. 295. $ 75.00. ISBN 978-1-59332-265-6

Published date01 December 2009
AuthorMeghan Ashlin Rich
DOI10.1177/1057567709349202
Date01 December 2009
Subject MatterArticles
However, Grayson has done a commendable job in preparing an appendix that provides a com-
prehensive and informative chronological accounting of Canadian drug law that spans from the
1850s to 2007, when new antidrug strategies were introduced and the status of decriminalization leg-
islation was introduced.
Within the constraints of the paradigm used to write this book, Grayson offers a modestly enga-
ging examination of Canadian security and identity through the issue of illicit drugs. However, its
merits must be gauged against a rather limited issue—that being only illicit drugs. Furthermore,
as Grayson himself concludes: ‘‘(T)here are no definite answers here, only an expanse of choices
that represent vastly different assessments of ethical responsibility and accountability in our social
worlds of mutual responsibility’’ (p. 253).
Notwithstanding the limitations mentioned, the critical approach used in Grayson’s book could
serve as a potential example of how to apply discourse analysis to a significant social issue that has
been fraught with controversy ever since drug legislation was first introduced in Canada (i.e., 1991
and the Opium and Narcotic Drug Act). In this respect, the book offers a somewhat novel theoretical
approach to the examination of the illicit drug situation in Canada, but it is unlikely that this reviewer
will place it anywhere other than on the ‘‘suggested’’ reading list for a relevant course.
John Winterdyk
Mount Royal College
Pearlman, T. (2008). Sanctioning Bias Crime: A Public Perspective.
New York: LFB Scholarly, pp. 295. $ 75.00.
ISBN 978-1-59332-265-6.
DOI: 10.1177/1057567709349202
Only in recent decades has the public been concerned with how to define, address, and alleviate
crimes motivated by hatred of particular social groups. There is a relationship between how the
public perceives bias crime, whether there is public support for bias crime legislation, and the future
formation of bias crime public policy. The author of this volume, Terrylynn Pearlman, seeks to
broaden the understanding of this relationship through the analysis of in-depth interviews she
completed with 40 residents in rural, Western Pennsylvania.
In Chapter 1, Pearlman argues that her case study may expand researchers’ and policymakers’
understanding of public knowledge of bias crime, public support for different criminal justice
responses to bias crime versus other types of crime, and public support for bias crime legislation.
Because research shows that public opinion is tied to criminal justice policy formation, Pearlman’s
study rightfully focuses on variables that affect public opinion, such as personal experiences of
crime. Bias crime merits study because of its ties to larger social concerns, such as racism and the
breakdown of communities. While polls show there is much support for supplemental sentencing for
bias crime, there is far less support for applying bias crime legislation to specific cases. Pearlman’s
study investigates this contradiction, among others.
Chapter 2 provides an historical overview of bias crime legislation. This legislation addresses
either substantive crimes, where crimes are considered ‘‘new’’ because they involve bias as a moti-
vation, or sentence enhancements, where punishment for a particular crime can be ‘‘enhanced’’ if
bias is proved to be a motivator. Sentence enhancements are the most common form of bias crime
laws, and their application depends on state. Most states identify race, religion, and ethnicity as bias
Book Reviews 493

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT