Providing For Consideration of H.R. 1279, Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1279, GANG DETERRENCE AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - May 11, 2005)
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Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I have worked with gangs at home in conjunction with our police department, and there is a way to start prevention. I recognize that the crimes that have been mentioned here this morning are crimes that should be punished. I believe if you do the crime, you do the time. But I also believe that you can prevent this with young people.
I dialogued with members of a gang several years ago, shortly after I heard that the people are coming from Los Angeles to start gangs. And in dialoguing with these young people, I first had to understand what they were saying. That gang activity has been converted to something positive because I encouraged it. I said, Stay together but do not do crime stuff, do things positive. That is what they have done. They have even run people for office. You have got to not give up on young people.
Americans deserve a bill that would successfully combat gang activity and violence. This bill does fall short of that. This bill fails to address the root of the problem. Even though law enforcement is vital, we must try to prevent gang activities before they occur. Prevention programs can save many lives and many dollars. It is a lot cheaper to prevent all this crime and prevent them going to jail and for them to stay in school.
Of the $50 million appropriated in this bill, not one penny goes toward prevention. You can call it play. You can call it anything you want. But in-school and after-school prevention programs successfully teach young people the skills they need to combat peer pressure. They target environmental risk factors by teaching young people conflict resolution skills, cultural sensitivity and the negative aspects of gang life, if it is violent.
These young people want to be a part of something, and it might as well be a positive experience. We must stop the violence at the source. If we do not put forth that activity, that is when it gravitates to what he just discussed. We must give our young people a path to success not just a path to prison.
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