Its to combat any form of crime that is motivated in non-traditional ways - i.e. by the fact that you're igorant and believe in race - or that a homosexual is tremendously different from you, or that an immigrant has 'stolen' your job.
I disagree with adding extra sentences onto crimes considered to be 'hate' based, as of course, determining what exactly is 'hate' is damned near impossible. You stab somebody? Aggravated assault with a weapon, and however many years (or months
) in our so-called penentiaries that earns you. You lynch a black man, or stomp a homosexual? Murder, and Murder, respectively. While obviously these crimes may have been perpretrated by someone who still believes in the antiquiated concept of race, we can't go and verify their beliefs by recognizing the idea of race.