This research examines hate crimes against the Amish with a particular focus on offender neutralization techniques that are used after the offenses have been committed to justify and/or rationalize behavior. This social psychological examination of offender neutralizations uses data from in-depth, qualitative interviews conducted with offenders who shed light on how such accounts are used to separate the acts from the responsibility for the behavior. The findings provide insight into examples of and motivations for anti-Amish hate crime, and how offenders attempt to neutralize their behavior.
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