Summary
The House of Representatives passed a bill last week designed to reduce gang violence. The so-called "Gangbusters" bill would greatly expand federal authority to prosecute gang members, even for local activity. It would establish mandatory minimum sentencing requirements for many crimes, including but not limited to newly defined offenses. These are terrible ideas that ought to be rejected if and when the Senate considers similar legislation.
The bill's definition of gang activity represents an unwarranted federalization of local crime. Gang violence is a serious problem, and some gangs operate across state lines and require federal attention. But this law is written so broadly as to potentially include many local crimes, which are traditionally prosecuted by the states.See the full content of this document
Extract
Stopping Gangs
Under its terms, anyone who commits or conspires in a "gang crime" - defined...
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