McKenna Announces New
Legislation to Combat Criminal Gangs
Tougher penalties provided, new crime created
Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today that new
legislation to combat the activities of criminal gangs, a growing
problem throughout the state, has now been introduced in both the
state Senate and the House of Representatives.
The request legislation from the Attorney General’s Office would
create the new crime of tagging/gang graffiti and provide longer
sentences for crimes committed by members of criminal gangs and
those attempting to join criminal gangs.
“Too often ordinary citizens are living in fear of criminal gangs
and gang-related crimes, and feel like they’re being held hostage in
their own neighborhood,” McKenna said. “Our police officers and
prosecutors need new tools to hold these criminals accountable and
deter future crimes. That’s why our office worked with street-level
cops to develop this bill, which is a step forward in the fight
against criminal gangs.”
The lead sponsors for Senate Bill 5987
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Senate
Bills/5987.pdf are Sen. Jim Clements (R-Selah) and Sen. Mike
Carrell (R-Lakewood).
“In Yakima County and around the state, gang activity is on the
rise,” Clements said. “Our citizens are living with the threat of
intimidation and harassment on a daily basis and property values are
depreciating in some areas due to the increase in gang-related
crimes, such as drug dealing and graffiti.”
The lead sponsors for House Bill 2215
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/House
Bills/2215.pdf are Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-Sunnyside) and Charles
Ross (R-Naches).
“Gang members are coming to our area from other states, many of whom
are supported by the sale of illegal drugs like meth, and heroin.
Sadly we now are beginning to see children being born into second
and third-generation street gangs," said Newhouse. "In addition to
the human toll it takes, increased gang activity has seriously
strained the budgets of local jurisdictions and threatens our
schools ability to educate our youth.”
The term “criminal gang” is carefully defined in the bill to include
only those groups that have as one of their primary purposes the
commission of criminal activity.
Members of criminal gangs or those attempting to gain admission to a
criminal gang who commit a felony would receive additional prison
time: two years more for class A felonies, 18 months more for class
B felonies and one year more for class C felonies.
The new crime of tagging/gang graffiti would be a gross misdemeanor
for a first offense and a class C felony for repeat offenses. A
gross misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and
a fine of $5,000, while a class C felony is punishable by a maximum
penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. The standard
sentencing range for a repeat offender is 0-12 months in jail.
The bill also directs the attorney general to establish a work group
to evaluate gang-related crime in Washington state, create a
statewide gang data base, and make recommendations regarding
additional legislative measures to combat gang-related crimes. The
work group will consist of local law enforcement, prosecutors,
municipal attorneys, district and superior court judges, prison
administrators, probation officers, and experts in gang prevention
and juvenile justice. The work group will report back to the
legislature on its findings and recommendations by Jan. 1, 2008.
Neither bill has been scheduled for a hearing yet.
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