By:Karenlyn Barone
With sweeping bipartisan sponsorship from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orin Hatch of Utah and five other Senate Republicans, The Criminal Street Gang Abatement Act will give prosecutors tough new tools to curb gang activity on Long Island, where Schumer says there are an average of 100 gang-related arrests per month.
It-s not something we like to highlight, but gangs are one of Long Island-s biggest threats to public safety and quality of life, said Schumer. This law gives tough new options to throw the book at gang members it even makes it easier for [law enforcement] to pursue the death penalty when that-s the right thing to do.
Specifically, the act makes gang recruitment a crime punishable by up to 10 years in jail, and also establishes a mandatory minimum three-year jail sentence for a gang member who tries to recruit a minor. This alone, Schumer says, will reduce gang recruitment in high schools.
The proposed legislation makes the commission of two gang-related crimes punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Additionally, the act creates a new federal crime, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, for gang members who participate in two or more crimes that help a gang or involve initiation rites. The act also makes it a crime to help a gang or gang members commit a crime.
Schumer-s proposed legislation includes the death penalty or life imprisonment for gang members who commit murder, and makes it easier to prosecute 16-year-olds as adults if they commit serious violent offenses such as murder, manslaughter, carjacking or armed robbery.
Battaglia-s husband, Anthony, 37, was murdered in an alleged botched robbery last September while walking home from the Lynbrook Long Island Rail Road Station. For months there was speculation that the attackers were gang members, which was confirmed when Nassau County police arrested four reputed members of the Latin Kings gang and a female accomplice in connection with the murder on Feb. 4.
Since then, Battaglia has been outspoken in her grief and determination to make something positive of her husband-s death. She heartily supports the Criminal Street Gang Abatement Act.
There are no limits to what gangs can do, who they can hurt and what they can take from you, said Battaglia. Six months ago we lost Tony, and a tremendous sense of safety and security. I believe this is very important legislation and will bring back a sense of security to our neighborhoods.
The Criminal Street Gang Abatement Act will also create $463 million in federal funding programs to fight gang violence by targeting high intensity gang activity areas; hire 94 new federal prosecutors to expand the Justice Department-s Project Safe Neighborhoods program; provide funds for local witness-protection programs; and provide money to help support the FBI-s Safe Streets Program.
Schumer is optimistic about passing the act, since it has bipartisan support from members of the Judiciary Committee. He also said that Long Island is likely to get significant support, because the new federal funds will focus on areas like this, where there are known gang problems.
When a father of two can be shot and stabbed to death for absolutely no reason while walking home from a Long Island Rail Road Station, it-s time to say enough is enough, Schumer said at the press conference. No Long Islander should have to live in fear of gang violence not one.
