NCJ Number
108914
Date Published
1986
Length
47 pages
Annotation
With reference to California Senate Bill 2118, testimony from representatives of district attorneys' offices, law enforcement, probation, service providers, and the public examines serious and gang-related juvenile crime and what can be done to combat it.
Abstract
The proposed legislation will enable prosecutors to file more serious crimes committed by 16- and 17-year-old offenders directly in adult court, without a prior affirmative showing in juvenile court that the case should be transferred. Testimony centers on the extent and nature of gang-related crime, particularly its organized nature and heavy involvement in armed robbery, murder, and narcotics trafficking. Definitions of gang membership, factors currently considered in waivers of juvenile cases to adult court, and philosophical and legal issues in such waivers also are considered. Several programs for dealing with serious and gang-related crime are described, including a specialized gang supervision and tracking unit, a gang prosecution unit emphasizing vertical prosecution and intensive investigation, a school-based prevention program focusing on alternatives to gang membership, and a community services program. Finally, other options for combatting violent and gang-related crime are proposed including use of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization provisions, increased surveillance, and forfeiture legislation.