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S.J.R. 2

             1     

JOINT RESOLUTION ON COMBATING AND

             2     
REDUCING GANG ACTIVITY

             3     
2010 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Luz Robles

             6     
House Sponsor: Ryan D. Wilcox

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      Committee Note:
             10          The Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Interim Committee
             11      recommended this bill.
             12      General Description:
             13          This joint resolution of the Legislature urges state and local governments to work
             14      together to combat and reduce gang activity.
             15      Highlighted Provisions:
             16          This resolution:
             17          .    urges state and local governments to take a comprehensive, collaborative, and
             18      communitywide approach to combat and reduce gang activity; and
             19          .    expresses support for sports, arts, academic, targeted counseling, and employment
             20      programs to counter gang recruitment.
             21      Special Clauses:
             22          None
             23     
             24      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             25          WHEREAS, the limitless potential of children, youth, and adults is jeopardized when
             26      they fall prey to gang recruitment and intimidation;
             27          WHEREAS, gang activity jeopardizes the civil rights, safety, and well-being of all


             28      members of the community, whether individuals are associated with gangs or not;
             29          WHEREAS, gangs become chronic and serious problems in communities where key
             30      organizations are inadequately integrated and sufficient resources are not available to target
             31      gang-involved youth;
             32          WHEREAS, gang activity should be understood as a complex socioeconomic
             33      phenomena that requires political and educational approaches as well as cultural awareness,
             34      appropriate prevention and intervention, family and community wellness, and gang specialist
             35      and police intervention strategies;
             36          WHEREAS, the most effective way to address gang violence is through a
             37      comprehensive, collaborative, and communitywide approach;
             38          WHEREAS, gang activity can be reduced in targeted neighborhoods by incorporating a
             39      broad spectrum of research-based interventions to address the range of personal, family, and
             40      community factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency and gang activity;
             41          WHEREAS, four key concepts for gang prevention and intervention are identifying the
             42      needs at the individual, family, and community level and addressing those needs with a
             43      coordinated, comprehensive response; conducting an inventory of human and financial
             44      resources in the community and creating plans to fill in gaps in services and leveraging existing
             45      resources to support effective gang reduction strategies; applying research-based programs
             46      across appropriate age ranges, risk factor categories, and agency boundaries; and encouraging
             47      coordination and integration of resources at the local, state, and federal levels;
             48          WHEREAS, the goal of primary prevention is to focus on the entire population and
             49      high-crime, high-risk communities;
             50          WHEREAS, the goal of intervention is to focus on active gang members and their close
             51      associates to provide a combination of services and opportunities, while holding these groups
             52      accountable for their actions;
             53          WHEREAS, the goal of suppression is to focus on gang leaders by undertaking
             54      aggressive prosecution efforts; and
             55          WHEREAS, local, state, and federal resources should be integrated to incorporate
             56      state-of-the-art practices in prevention, intervention, and suppression to enhance pro-social
             57      influences in the community:
             58          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah


             59      strongly urges state and local government agencies, through a comprehensive, collaborative,
             60      and communitywide approach, to work to reduce gang activity in targeted neighborhoods by
             61      incorporating a broad spectrum of research-based interventions to address the range of
             62      personal, family, cultural, and community factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency and
             63      gang activity.
             64          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urges communities, civil rights
             65      groups, media, elected officials, gang prevention specialists, educational, cultural, and law
             66      enforcement organizations, the community, and active gang members to work towards
             67      mediating conflict and suppressing gang violence.
             68          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature expresses support for sports, arts,
             69      academic, targeted counseling, and employment programs as a means to enhance the future of
             70      the community and counter gang recruitment.
             71          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah League
             72      of Cities and Towns, the Utah Association of Counties, the Utah Department of Public Safety,
             73      the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, the Utah State Office of Education,
             74      and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-19-09 8:27 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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