Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Reducing Gang Activity with a $50m a Year Law

On June 18, 2018, President Trump signed the "Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018" into law (Act: H.R.3249, Public Law No: 115-185). It allocates $50m a year from 2019 to 2021 to the prevention and reduction of gang violence and crime. The law sponsored by Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) was approved with 394 votes to 13 in the House, and by a unanimous voice vote in the Senate. From a WJLA article:
"We have a large number of unaccompanied minors in the area and they are very vulnerable to these gangs recruiting them," he said. MS-13 habitually targets young immigrants, often forcing them into the gang through threats and intimidation. 
"If I had my way, I'd spend the bulk of the money on intervention, prevention efforts," Lanham added, "because it's much cheaper to go that route and prevent them from joining the gangs than arrest your way out, which we're not going to do." [...] 
"The amount of money should really assist in the coordination of local and federal law enforcement to target the worst of the worst using the best science we have," he said.
I penciled out brief outline summaries of both the Act and the article below.


The Act:
Became Public Law No: 115-185 on June 18, 2018

Section 1: Short Title
Act may be cited as the “Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018”

Section 2: Definitions
(1) “firearm offenses”
(2) “Program”
(3) “transnational organized crime group”

Section 3: Establishment
US Attorney General authorized to establish and carry out program within the Office of Justice Programs at the DoJ

Section 4: Purpose
(a) Block Grant Program; foster and improve existing partnerships between Federal, State, and local agencies, members of community affected by increased violence, victims’ advocates, and researchers; create safer neighborhoods through sustained reduction in violent crimes by
(1) strategic plans to reduce violent crimes
(2) evidence-based and data-driven intervention and prevention initiatives
(3) collecting data on outcomes achieved thru the program
(b) Additional Purpose Areas
(1) competitive and evidence-based programs to reduce gun crime and gang violence
(2) Edward Byrne criminal justice innovation program
(3) community-based violence prevention initiatives; or
(4) gang and youth violence education, prevention and intervention, and related activities

Section 5: Rules and Regulations
(a) In General
(b) Funds To Be Directed To Local Control
(c) Task Forces
(d) Priority

Section 6: Authorization of Appropriations
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 thru 2021


Article:
WJLA: "Trump signs bill giving cities, states $50M to combat gang activity"
by Leandra Bernstein

Summary:
  • Local and state govs and law enforcement agencies will see a boost in funding to fight gang activity
  • After Pres Trump signed a bill into law creating a $50m grant program
  • Much-needed resources for stopping the recent rise in violent crime around the country
  • Bill will also set aside 30 percent of the funding for regional gang task forces (law enforcement entities that coordinate anti-gang measures across state lines)

  • Gang activities vary widely across America
  • Best managed directly by local and state governments who have best lead on the threats to their communities

  • Between 2014 and 2016, FBI documented a 20 percent increase in homicides nationwide
  • Street gang membership was on the rise in nearly half of the US jurisdictions surveyed in the National Gang Threat Report

  • Robert Marker, pres of Mid Atlantic Regional Gang Intelligence Network glad to see the grant money return
  • Jay Lanham, coordinator of the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force; his task force lost virtually all its funding; $3m at its peak to $325k this year
  • As task force lost its resources, area saw a surge in violence by MS-13 gang
  • Considered hub on the East Coast for MS-13 members, 98% of their work
  • MS-13, the only transnational gang operating in the US
  • Not the largest gang, but tied to some of the most brutal murders
  • Greatest number of cases reported in CA, Maryland, NY, and VA

  • FBI leads 170 Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Forces
  • Eligible for $15m in grants beginning in 2019

  • Omaha does not have many national or international affiliated gangs 
  • Says Ryan Spohn, director of Nebraska Center for Justice Research
  • But gang violence accounts for roughly 80 percent of the area’s homicides

  • Having access to national databases will help local jurisdictions
  • More effectively id and track the movement of firearms and violent criminals traveling across state lines

  • After Sept 11, local, state, and fed law enforcement improved coordination and communication like never before
  • Still some communities not fully aware of the resources that are available
  • Grant renewed effort to fully acquaint local agencies with full array of resources available from federal partners; chance to share best practices across cities and regions

  • Sept 17 - International Gang Awareness Day



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