Tough Laws Should Target Gangs (From Gangs: Opposing Viewpoints, P 104-111, 1996, David Bender and Bruno Leone, eds. - - See NCJ-159928)

• NCJ Number: 159942
• Author(s): M Genelin
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 8 pages
• Sale Source: Greenhaven Press
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Opposing Viewpoints Series

Annotation

Ways law enforcement and prosecutors can suppress gang crime include interagency task forces, strict laws targeting gangs, and the effective use of police and prosecutors.

Abstract

Gangs pose a unique problem to prosecutors, since multiple criminals acting with a singularity of purpose create greater difficulties than criminals acting alone. Moreover, many government authorities are reluctant to admit a gang crime problem exists. In Los Angeles County, the District Attorney's Office uses every opportunity to remove gang members from the streets. An effort is made to identify gang members at the time of filing a charge, and gang membership is then used as an aggravating factor at sentencing to minimize case settlements and aggressively seek maximum sentences. The importance of prosecutor expertise in handling gang crime cases and the need for interagency cooperation in gang prevention are discussed. The Gang Reporting, Evaluation and Tracking (GREAT) information system used in Los Angeles, the Reduction of Street Violence Program (RSVP), and the Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention (STEP) Act are briefly described. 1 figure