Senate Fights Gang Crime

On Monday of this pass week, the Senate passed the "New York State Criminal Street Gang Act"(S1701). The main sponsor of the bill was Senator Martin Golden (R-C-I Brooklyn). Golden is a former cop and has personal experience with the destructive power that gangs can have on communities, schools and families.
The bite of this new law comes in the changes to the levels of punishment for recruitment of children for gang activities. Under the new legislation it becomes a class C felony to solicit a minor under the age of eighteen to street gang activities on school property. This is punishable by fifteen years in prison. For the solicitation of a minor under the age of eighteen to participate in street gang activity off of school property becomes a class D felony and punishable by seven years in prison. This law targets the source of participation in gangs in the recruitment of children.
This bill also establishes a Criminal Street Gang Prevention Fund. This fund is by the Department of Education to start gang prevention programs in schools.An example of this would be the restriction of gang related apparel within schools and education and training for staff on how to implement such policies. It also established the Criminal Street Gang and Violence Prevention Partnership to create services to deter at-risk youth from gang related activities. Under this it would also create the Office of Criminal Street Gang and Youth Violence at the State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Along with this comes the The Department of Corrections and Gang Education and Prevention Program. This program would educate inmates on the impact gangs have on communities.
This bill has been passed on the Assembly.

Press Release: http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/senate-passes-criminal-street-gang-act