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Tougher penalties for street gang-related crimes and prevention measures to stop young people from joining gangs is making its way toward becoming law in North Carolina.  

Graham

Last week’s passage of a stiffer anti-gang legislation was due in large measure to Mecklenburg’s legislative delegation that helped push bills in both houses,  especially N.C. Sen. Malcolm Graham (D-Mecklenburg), who led the way in the upper chamber after the Senate failed last year to  vote on a bill approved by the House.  Graham, chair of the Select Committee on Street Gang Prevention, held public hearings in Charlotte and Wilmington last month and lobbied to make anti-gang legislation a top priority and the first major piece of legislation to pass in the short session.

The Street Gang Prevention Act passed the Senate 47-0 and “sent a strong message that we will prosecute gang activity and work to stop the spread of gangs across our state,” said Graham, who drafted the bill. “I am pleased that my colleagues agreed that we cannot tackle the growing gang problem without comprehensive prevention and intervention measures as well. I look forward to working with the House and seeing these important bills signed into law.”

A House committee is reviewing the Senate bill.

The measures will:
    • Make it a felony to participate in criminal gang activity and increase penalties for those who commit crimes while engaged in gang activity.

    • Increase penalties for those using a deadly weapon during criminal gang activity.

    • Criminalize recruitment of gang members.

    • Support community-based delinquency, substance abuse, and gang prevention strategies and programs and continue to fund gang prevention grants.

    • Review state and local efforts in preventing gangs and addressing the needs of juveniles who have been identified as being associated with gang activity.

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