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UID:Indybay-18601775
SEQUENCE:18652474
CREATED:20090615T214700Z
DESCRIPTION:Rally on the Santa Cruz Courthouse steps to educate the public about the 
 realities of gang enhanced sentences.  They broadly criminalize our youth 
 and do not deter future gang crimes.  They result in HUGE costs to the 
 taxpayers and suck the life out of the community, overcriminalizing youth 
 in marginalized communities.\n\nSUPPORT OUR YOUTH!\nSUPPORT THEIR 
 FAMILIES!\nRALLY AGAINST UNFAIR & OVERCRIMINALIZATION OF YOUTH!\nJoin the 
 Alliance Against Gang Enhancements\n\nWEDNESDAY JUNE 17, 
 2009\n8-10AM\nSANTA CRUZ COUNTY COURTHOUSE\n701 Ocean Street\nSanta Cruz, 
 CA\n\nCONTACT: santacruzalliance@gmail.com\n831-238-5290\n\nWe seek to 
 educate Santa Cruz about the reality behind gang enhanced sentences. Gang 
 enhanced sentences are on the rise in Santa Cruz County. They  are 
 destructive, unfair and cost too much money without solving the problem or 
 even getting to the root causes.  They do not deter gang crime, in fact 
 they sensationalize the issue to the public.\n\nRichard Bentancourt will go 
 on trial this week in Santa Cruz for the FOURTH time on the same charges.  
 Although the past 3 trials have resulted in a dismissal, a hung jury and a 
 discovery violation, the District Attorney INSISTS on continuing to spend 
 taxpayers money and cause great stress to the defendants and their 
 families, in an unrelenting attempt to prove a “gang crime.” The 
 defendants are facing years in prison for a street fight resulting in no 
 serious injuries to the victim. \n\nA “gang enhancement” or allegation 
 of involvement in a criminal street gang can transform a simple misdemeanor 
 charge, like shoplifting or trespassing, into a felony crime with 
 consequences that include prison time and juveniles being tried as 
 adults.\n\nThe law gives an extremely vague definition of a street gang. 
 This opens the door to abuse of the law's intent.  Many youth who have had 
 contact with the criminal justice system are frequently charged with a gang 
 crime and given a “gang enhanced sentence.” \n\nThese sentences can 
 become grossly unfair because gang enhancement laws impede the maturity 
 process of adolescent youth.  By confining them to a regressive, negative 
 and long term environment of prison, they never have the chance to 
 rehabilitate. \n\nFamily structures are destroyed by the extraordinarily 
 long sentences and stress.  Gang enhanced sentence can make a victimless 
 crime lead to a longer sentence than one for first degree murder.\n\nGang 
 crimes actually compromise a small percentage of violent crimes in the US.  
 Violent crime has actually decreased. Gang enhancements have not deterred 
 crime.  There is no evidence of this.  Gang enhancements serve to scare the 
 public into supporting draconian sentences that overcriminalize 
 youth.\n\nGang member identification, leading to a gang enhanced sentence 
 is often based on loosely defined criteria which is broad in nature and 
 encompasses youth not necessarily involved in serious gang activity.  Gang 
 enhancements are also applied to crimes that are not related to gang 
 membership at all, but based on the criminal history of the accused person. 
  For example, a fight over a personal issue may result in a gang enhanced 
 sentence, even through the fight had nothing to do with gang activity.  
 \n\nThese sentences and the long time District Attorney’s spend 
 prosecuting these cases, result in astronomical costs to the taxpayer in 
 terms of prosecution and enforcement.  It can cost well over $1 million 
 dollars to send an 18 year old away for 20 years, simply because of the 
 perceived “intent” of the crime.  Many gang crimes are done during 
 adolescence, it is adolescent, immature behavior.  The extreme penalties 
 impede the maturation process and cost the taxpayers much more than the 
 cost of prevention and intervention.\n\nFor more research, news and 
 excellent analysis, read the Justice Policy Institute’s report entitled: 
 “Gang 
 Wars.”\nhttp://www.justicepolicy.org/content-hmID=1811&smID=1581&ssmID=22.htm\n\nRALLY 
 WITH US ON JUNE 17, 2009!\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/15/18601775.php
SUMMARY:RALLY With Alliance Against Gang Enhancements
LOCATION:SANTA CRUZ COUNTY COURTHOUSE\n701 Ocean Street\nSanta Cruz, CA
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/15/18601775.php
DTSTART:20090617T150000Z
DTEND:20090617T170000Z
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