Representative Lucas Evans has introduced a new bill titled the ‘Gang Related Violence Act of 2024’ which aims to crack down on gang violence.
The idea behind the bill is to create more specific guidelines for law enforcement to help with their investigations and keeping database of gang members. The other purpose is for harsher punishment which in tern would hopefully cause Violent Gang Members to think about the possible punishment of their actions before they go out and commit a Violent Crime against someone or numerous other people.
Lucas Evans
The bill, if signed into law, would require law enforcement to create and maintain a ‘Organised Crime Database’ containing information pertaining to groups members, locations and ‘identifying features.’
The bill also introduces a felony criminal offence which would be applied to instances of gang criminal violence against other gangs, businesses, people and government officials.
The purpose of this bill is to levy harsher punishment against members of violent gangs who commit crimes against others in San Andreas
‘Purpose of Bill’ H.R. 336
The bill is yet to be voted on. Its unclear if the bill has the votes to pass, with some representatives suggesting some concern over the bill online.
Members of the public have expressed concern about the contents of the bill. More specifically with the definitions which would identify a ‘criminal organisation.’
A group of two or more individuals who engage in criminal activities with other individuals who share common identifying features, including but not limited to: clothing style, clothing color, hand symbols, family names, or group names. A Criminal Organization may also be identified by sharing a common location that 3 or more members of the organization have been documented at on a regular basis.
Section 4. Definitions: ‘Criminal Organisation’
The argument is that business uniforms could be considered ‘common identifying features’ which would mean that some businesses, if they have hired two or more employees with a criminal record, could be considered a ‘criminal organisation.’
Eve Angelo
•
@Wednesday
Also means any business with people that are working there with a criminal record it is now classified as a Gang
Roxanne Shepard
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@Wagtail_Scourge
If that bill were to pass without heavy amendments, it would allow police to identify nearly any three people with any level of criminal record who are regularly seen in the same spot as a criminal organization. That’d identify some EMS as a gang.
Representative Evans dismisses these claims
I think if any police officer were to make this claim, it would be shot down very very quickly. Businesses are the staple of our community and I will always stick to supporting them. I do have faith in Law Enforcement to be appropriate in regards to what is a business and what is a gang location.
Lucas Evans
Others have suggested that the bill is simply a bill which promotes profiling.
Carina Bail
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@CBail
On a serious note the bill just seems to promote profiling based on looks or what is worn so hard pass for me.
Representative Evans suggests otherwise.
The bill definitely does not promote profiling. The database which will be kept is made by Law Enforcement who conduct investigations and solid checks before marking someone as a gang member in their database. If someone is found to not be in a gang and added to the database then they would swiftly be removed, and if there does come a time where this bill is being abused then it can be repealed.
Lucas Evans
There are also serious concerns regarding the application of Mobile Data terminal ‘markers’ which are not public facing and have no legal backing. Its believed that they are mentioned in the law enforcements standard operating procedures, however those documents remain a closely guarded secret.
Audrey Storm
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@AudREE
but based on those things an MDT marker could easily be created which then makes it so those charges can be pushed
Representative Evans tells us that he believes that the SOP’s cover this information. He also asks the public for feedback.
I understand this is a highly controversial bill, we’ve seen attempts at introducing something similar in the past by prior State Reps. I can only hope that good feedback can be given by members of the public to my email directly and from other State Representatives before this goes up for vote.
Lucas Evans
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