Congressman Burgess Votes for Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1279, The Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005, which authorizes increased federal funding to support federal, state and local law enforcement efforts against violent gangs, to coordinate law enforcement agencies’ efforts to share intelligence and to jointly investigate violent gangs. Congressman Michael Burgess voted in favor of this legislation. The Act creates new criminal gang prosecution offenses, enhances existing gang and violent crime penalties to deter and punish illegal street gangs, and proposes violent crime reforms needed to effectively prosecute gang members.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, there are currently over 25,000 gangs and over 750,000 gang members who are active in more than 3,000 jurisdictions across the United States. Gang activity has been directly linked to the narcotics trade, human trafficking, identification document falsification, violent maiming and assault and the use of firearms to commit deadly shootings. This legislation is part of an increasing federal effort to assist local law enforcement in targeting and federally prosecuting violent criminals who are associated with street gangs. The bill will encourage partnerships across all levels of government and ensure the success of these partnerships through the expansion of resources and intelligence.
“Gang violence and intimidation is a parasite growing across the country,” stated Congressman Michael Burgess. Representative Randy Forbes (R-Virginia), author of the bill, sited the statistic that gang recruitment has been so successful, that if gang member’s from around the country united, they would comprise the sixth largest standing army in the world. “The swelling numbers in gangs is alarming, and this bill is a solid starting point from which we should continue to tackle this problem. This bill will facilitate and fund coordination efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement.”
The Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005 is a comprehensive gang bill aimed at creating a national strategy to identify, apprehend, and prosecute gangs across the nation. The bill would accomplish two primary goals. The first goal is to designate “High-intensity Gang Areas” and authorizes federal dollars to ensure the effectiveness of the program. The Act authorizes $50 million over 5 years to combat gang activity in those areas and other areas of need. It authorizes $7.5 million over 5 years to allow the Attorney General to hire 94 additional Assistant United States attorneys to prosecute crimes in high intensity interstate gang activity areas. Finally, it authorizes $20 million over 5 years in grants to state and local law enforcement and prosecutors to combat violent criminal gang activity.
The second goal is to define gang crime in federal code and specify punishments for gang-related crimes and other violent crimes. The bill provides strict definitions of criminality for gang-related violence and imposes strict penalties for those guilty of such crimes.
Many prominent law enforcement agencies have expressed support for HR 1279, including the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriff’s Association, National Troopers Coalition, Federal Criminal Investigators Association and National Latino Peace Officers Association.
“I am please that many law enforcement groups support this strong piece of legislation,” stated Congressman Michael Burgess. “I am hopeful that my local police and sheriffs, who tirelessly work to combat gangs, will benefit from passage of this bill.”
