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Republicans take the lead on
curbing gang activity
The lead Republican on the
House public safety committee, Rep. Kirk Pearson of Monroe, is
backing long-overdue legislation to combat the activities of criminal
gangs, which is a growing problem around the state. Pearson cosponsored
the legislation,
House Bill 2224, which is also supported by Attorney General Rob
McKenna.
“People are scared to walk the streets in some areas out of fear of gang
violence erupting. It’s time that gangs are afraid to roam the streets
because the penalties for gang-related crime are swift and tough,”
Pearson said.
Pearson added that the term “criminal gang” is carefully defined
in the bill to include only those groups that have as one of their
primary purposes the commission of criminal activity. The legislation
also creates the new crime of tagging/gang graffiti and provides longer
sentences for crimes committed by members of criminal gangs and those
attempting to join criminal gangs.
“Sadly, gang violence is rising in areas around the state,” Pearson
said. “Our police and prosecutors need new tools to hold criminal gang
members accountable and enhance public safety.”
Members of criminal gangs or those attempting to gain admission to a
criminal gang who commit a felony would receive additional prison time:
two years more for class A felonies, 18 months more for class B felonies
and one year more for class C felonies.
“What’s important to realize is that we are seeing more evidence of gang
activity in rural areas around the state,” Pearson said. “These
tougher penalties are a good step to deterring future growth of
gang-related crimes.”
House Bill 2224 adds a new crime for tagging/gang graffiti; making
it a gross misdemeanor for a first offense and a class C felony for
repeat offenses. A gross misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of one
year in jail and a fine of $5,000, while a class C felony is punishable
by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. The
standard sentencing range for a repeat offender is 0-12 months in jail.
The bill also directs the attorney general to establish a work group to
evaluate gang-related crime in Washington, create a statewide gang data
base, and make recommendations regarding additional legislative measures
to combat gang-related crimes. The work group will consist of local law
enforcement, prosecutors, municipal attorneys, district and superior
court judges, prison administrators, probation officers, and experts in
gang prevention and juvenile justice. The work group will report back to
the legislature on its findings and recommendations by Jan. 1.
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