Abstract policing hatred explores the intersection of race and law in the controversial area of hate crime an in depth ethnographic portrait of how hate crime law works in practice policing hatred exposes the power of the police to influence the social and legal environment as they determine whether an incident will be charged as a bias crime. Policing hatred explores the intersection of race and law enforcement in the controversial area of hate crime the nations attention has recently been focused on high profile hate crimes such as the dragging death of james byrd and the torture murder of matthew shepard. Policing hatred law enforcement civil rights and hate crime volume 15 of critical america author jeannine bell edition illustrated publisher nyu press 2002 isbn 0814798977. Policing hatred law enforcement civil rights and hate crime by jeannine bellpolicing hatred law enforcement civil rights and hate crime may 2003 american journal of sociology 10861410 1413