Senator Amedore Announces Passage of Criminal Street Gang Act

The New York State Senate has passed legislation, co-sponsored by Senator George Amedore, to help reduce gang violence in communities throughout the state. The legislation (S.1701) would create tough new penalties for gang-related criminal activity, and would also develop educational programs for schools, at-risk youth and prison inmates.

“More and more communities are dealing with increased crime as a result of street gangs,” said Senator Amedore. “This bill will help protect our communities, and also provide valuable educational resources for our youth, as well as within our prison systems, to help prevent the growth of criminal gang activity.”

The bill creates the new class C felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, of recruitment of children under 18 on school property to participate in a criminal street gang. Recruitment of a minor outside of school property would be a class D felony, punishable by up to 7 years in prison.

In order to support training, education and prevention programs, this legislation also creates the Criminal Prevention Fund, to allow the State Department of Education to create prevention programs in schools and give personnel in-service training. It will also create the Street Gang and Violence Prevention Partnership and the Department of Corrections Gang Education and Prevention Program to provide services and education for at-risk youth and inmates.

The measure also creates the new crimes of:

> solicitation with intent to cause physical injury to another person to coerce cooperation, a class D felony; 

> participation in criminal street gang activity, a class E felony;

> accepting the proceeds or benefits from street gang activity, a class E felony; and

> soliciting or recruiting someone or threatening to physically injure that person to participate in a criminal gang activity, a class E felony.

The bill was sent to the Assembly.   

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