A proposed city ordinance could add homeless people to groups protected by hate crime laws, making Cincinnati one of just three cities to do so. The proposal by City Councilman Chris Seelbach could add up to 180 days in extra jail time for those convicted of crimes against people because they don’t have homes.
“This hopefully will send a message to everyone that even though homeless people may seem vulnerable and on the streets, their lives and their safety are just as important as every single person in Cincinnati we live and work with every day,” Seelbach said during a news conference Dec. 11 in Washington Park, during which he also announced a proposal to add $45,000 for winter shelters.
Seelbach says he’s confident a majority of City Council will support the measures.
The National Coalition for the Homeless has been tracking homeless hate crimes since 2000. Over a four-year period starting in 2009, there were 1,437 attacks nationally and 357 deaths, according to a report from the coalition. Six-hundred-thousand Americans experienced homelessness last year. One-fourth were children. Currently, gender, sexual orientation, race, national origin and disability are protected under hate crime state and federal hate crime laws.
“Primarily, young people high school and college age commit these crimes,” said Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Director Josh Spring. “And if they’re caught, their response to why they did it is, ‘Why does it matter? It’s just a homeless person. We’re just cleaning up the streets.’ We want the city to say it does matter.”
Cincinnati has seen a number of incidents of violence against the homeless. Four years ago, Robert Mehan was beaten and nearly killed as he was walking on Walnut Street downtown. A young man picked Mehan up and slammed him into the ground. He then beat him with beer bottles. Mehan ended up in a coma and almost died.
In July, John Hensley, a 49-year-old staying at the Drop-Inn Center, was leaving for work cleaning Great American Ball Park when he was attacked from behind by Alexander Gaines, 19, Brandon Ziegler, 21, and a 17-year-old minor. They’re currently facing charges in Hamilton County courts.
This article appears in Dec 17-23, 2014.
