US: Stop Harmful Anti-Youth Legislation

Harmful gang legislation is pending in Congress that places excessive emphasis on increasing sentences (including life without parole penalties for youth) and will disproportionately harm communities of color. Sen. Feinstein’s Gang Abatement and Prevention Act passed out of the Senate and a similar bill, H.R. 3547, has been introduced in the House by Representative Adam Schiff. The punitive approach that the Feinstein and Schiff bills take does not address the root causes of gang crime.

Representative Bobby Scott has, however, introduced a positive alternative. H.R. 3846, the Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education Act (Youth PROMISE Act), takes an innovative approach to addressing the problem of gangs and crime. By investing resources in youth and local communities, this legislation prevents crime and redirects at-risk youth toward productive and law-abiding alternatives.

Please urge your elected representatives to oppose Representative Schiff’s H.R. 3547 and instead support the Youth PROMISE Act, H.R. 3846.

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Dear (recipient name),

Congress should not pass harmful gang legislation that will increase the incarceration of poor and minority youth, expand the definition of who belongs to a gang, and sentence more young people to die in prison.   We understand the desire to find effective measures to curtail gang violence, and agree that perpetrators of violent crimes should be held appropriately accountable. Protecting communities from gang violence and responding to youth crime is, however, compatible with human rights principles and recognition of children’s unique vulnerabilities, diminished culpability, and capacity to reform.

Federal gang legislation such as Representative Schiff’s H.R. 3547, which would increase the already enormous federal prison population by creating unnecessary additional crimes and inappropriate sanctions-including an increased number of offenses for which children could be sentenced to life without parole-is not the solution.  Adopting the discredited approach of stiffer penalties for youthful offenders, H.R. 3547 would expand the definition of gang crime, sweep more minority youth into the criminal justice system, and result in more young people being sentenced to die in prison.

In contrast, the Youth PROMISE Act, H.R. 3846, is unique among current legislative proposals aimed at curbing youth and gang violence.  Rather than creating duplicative penalties and sanctions that would increase rates of federal prosecution and incarceration and funnel more young people into the criminal justice system, the Youth PROMISE Act builds upon promising and evidence-based practices that prevent and intervene in youth gang involvement, delinquency and crime, promote rehabilitation, and have led to reduced rates of violence and delinquency.  The Youth PROMISE Act invests resources in local communities and brings together all the stakeholders, including representatives from community and faith-based organizations, schools and the education community, law enforcement, parents and youth, health and mental health providers, social services, the judiciary and the bar to prevent juvenile gang violence, delinquency and crime from occurring in the first place.

By valuing youth as assets, and focusing on the ability of youth to assume a constructive role in society, the Youth PROMISE Act also comports with human rights principles and US treaty obligations under international law.

I urge you to oppose H.R. 3547 and support the Youth PROMISE Act today.

Thank you.

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