Washington - The Senate has passed comprehensive legislation aimed at cracking down on gang activity that includes provisions from a gang initiative introduced earlier this year by U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and co-sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).

The Gang Abatement and Prevention Act is closely tied to Menendez's Fighting Gangs and Empowering Youth Act (http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=271326), which was also introduced in the House by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ). The legislation that passed includes two specific provisions from the New Jersey legislators' bill that would provide demonstration grants for innovative approaches to gang prevention and increase funds for mentoring programs for youth involved in the juvenile justice system.

"Law enforcement in New Jersey is combating a severe and growing gang problem, and this legislation will give them back up," said Menendez. "I am proud to have helped lead this crime-fighting initiative. Gangs are ravaging our communities, and a comprehensive and tough approach that balances policing, prevention and empowerment is the best defense. That's what we have achieved."

"Gangs are a scourge on the streets of New Jersey and across the nation. The mentoring and gang prevention programs in this bill will provide young people real alternatives to keep them off the street and out of gangs," said Sen. Lautenberg.

Law enforcement officials recently reported that gang activity in New Jersey is increasing and becoming more sophisticated and aggressive in recruiting and preying on young people in all communities. According to a survey by the State Police, the number of gang members has nearly doubled to slightly more than 17,000 in 2005, up from about 10,000 in 2000.

The bill passed today incorporated the following provisions from the Menendez Fighting Gangs bill:

Gang Prevention and Intervention

Expands mentoring programs and creates a new demonstration program to encourage creative approaches to gang activity and after-school programs.

The new demonstration program would provide $5 million per year for 5 years for grants to "public or nonprofit private entities (including faith-based organizations)" that create innovative approaches to combat gang activity. These projects could include things like teen-driven approaches, educating parents about the signs of gang activity in kids, teaching parenting/nurturing to keep kids out of gangs, and facilitating communication between parents and children. The grant program would require a 25% local match.

The mentoring program provides funds to community-based nonprofit and for-profit agencies to mentor youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The current program is funded at $1.6 million and has four mentoring partnerships through cooperative agreement awards (each is limited to $400,000 for 4 years). The legislation would expand the program to $4.8 million per year in order to fund 12 projects.

The two bills also share several provisions to crack down on gang activity, including provision to:

New and Increased Penalties for Gang Crimes

Make recruiting new gang members a federal crime, with the penalty doubled if a minor is recruited; create a new category of crimes for criminal street gangs for certain violent crimes, such as murder, carjacking, firearm offenses, witness tampering; include violent crimes committed for gang initiation or membership and drug trafficking.

Provide significant increases in criminal penalties for gang members for racketeering violence, carjacking, firearm possession, conspiracy.

Call on the United States Sentencing Commission to review penalties for juvenile offenders.

Senators Menendez and Lautenberg are both co-sponsors of Sen. Feinstein's legislation. For further details on the similarities between the two bills, visit: http://menendez.senate.gov/pdf/MenendezFeinsteinBillProvisions.doc

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