Transcripts For CSPAN2 Hearing Examines Challenges Posed By

Transcripts For CSPAN2 Hearing Examines Challenges Posed By Criminal Gangs In Communities 20170728

Will come to order. Without objection that shares authorized to declare recesses of the subcommittee at any time. Let me say that we are to vote between 10 45 and 10 50. I will not make an Opening Statement but put my Opening Statement into the record. I will ask every other member to allow us to the witnesses so that they all are able to get their testimony in before we have to leave to go and vote. So without objection all Opening Statements will be placed into the record at this time. We have a very distinguished panel this morning, and i would beginning by swearing in our witnesses before introducing them. Would you all please rise and raise your right hand . [witnesses were sworn in] let the record show that all of the witnesses have answered in the affirmative. I will give an abbreviated introduction for all of the witnesses so that we can hear them and get to as many questions as possible. The first witness is Kenneth Blanco who is the acting assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division of the department of justice. The second witness is mr. Mark met vanek who is aboard advisoy member for the illinois chapter of the Midwest Gang Investigators Association. The third witness is captain chris marks in Los Angeles County sheriff department, and our fourth witness is dr. Gary slutkin who is the fount of cure violence, a Nongovernment Organization based in chicago. We will now proceed under the fiveminute rule and mr. Blanco, you are first. Thank you. Good morning, mr. Chairman, Ranking Member jackson lee and members of the subcommittee. It is a pleasure to appear before you this morning to discuss the department of justice efforts to combat Gang Violence. Violent crime is on the rise in many parts of america. Gang violence, increasing headlines new cycles every day in its frequency and its effect in the communities and its effect on innocent people who get caught in the crossfire. There are approximately 1. 4 million members of 33,000 gangs operating across the country. All of them use violence to boost their illegal money making activities, protect their territories, intimidate their rifles and enhance their status and fulfill their missions. Too many of our citizens live in fear of these violent criminals. All americans deserve to be free from violence and safe in their homes, schools, jobs and neighborhoods. This is why it is a top lawyer of the department of justice under the leadership of the attorney general sessions to reduce Violent Crime in america including in related violence. Reducing crime requires that we balance strong Law Enforcement. With defective prevention measures we must take the violent offenders off the street and fort gangs efforts to recruit vulnerable youth. To achieve the first of these twin aims the department relies on the expertise of its federal prosecutors and Law Enforcement agents including the Criminal Division organized crime and gang section, a narcotic and dangers of drug section, the u. S. Attorneys offices as well as its Law Enforcement agencies like the atf, fbi, dea and u. S. Marshals service, and other Law Enforcement partners such as the use immigration and customs enforcement, Homeland Security services, hsin state local and tribal Law Enforcement partners. Federal prosecutors and Law Enforcement partners lead investigations and prosecutions of criminal gangs of regional, national and International Significance such as the aryan brotherhood of texas, the gangster disciples, and the ms13, to name just a few. Prosecutors and investigators have prioritize Violent Crime and are working to identify the most violent offenders in their districts and to ensure that individuals are prosecuted fully and sentenced appropriately, including under applicable federalstate and, guidelines and significant penalties under the law. Many gangster shave it dangerous and Illegal Drugs to generate income to support their criminal activities. And with the Drug Distribution comes violence. Thus when appropriate federal prosecutors also seek to charge gang members and the foreign kingpins who supply them with drug offenses. None of these investigations and prosecutions would be possible without the daily sacrifice of the enforcement officers to investigate these criminals. Specialized task forces comprise a federal, state, local and tribal Law Enforcement officers such as the fbi, state street task force, hsis Operation Command if you shield and those funded by the organized crime and Drug Enforcement task force is program are hard at work in the areas with highs concentration of drugs and Gang Violence. Law enforcement efforts to arrest and incarcerate violent gang members have a Significant Impact on the quality of life in our communities. But enforcement alone will not in the gang membership and Gang Violence. We must also support gang intervention and gang prevention programs. Many such programs were funded by the department grantmaking components including the office of Justice Programs and the office of Community Oriented policing services, cops. For example, all gps office of juvenile justice and liquids a prevention and beer of justice assistance jointly fund the National Gang center which provides comprehensive resources, training and strategic tools to those in the field of Law Enforcement and criminal justice. As well as to the Community Organizations that prevent Gang Violence can reduce the gang involvement and to present gang related crime. These are just but a few examples of the departments continued commitment to supporting our federal, state, local and tribal enforcement partners and ending the scourge of Gang Violence in our communities. Thank you and i look forward to answering your questions. Thank you very much, mr. Blanco. I forgot to ask, asking in this consent of the witnesses written statements be placed in the record in full. Mr. Vanek. Thank you mr. Chairman, Ranking Member and members were invited me today to speak about gangs in our communities. It is an honor and privilege to be today. I curse upon the board for the Midwest Gang Investigators Association illinois chapter. Midwest gang investigators was formed in 1987 and is an organization with over 2000 members representing 12 states throughout the midwest. It is collaborative associations mission is to develop and recommend strategy to prevent and control gang crime administer professional training as well as assist, just a professional educators, probation parole and public regarding gangs in a committees. For the last 17 years ive been applied as a lawenforcement officer in in the midwest with extensive experience in investigate street gangs in both the state and federal level. Street gangs today are different than the gangs of the past 30 years. Resume street gangs are more violent, more technological savvy, glorified. Street gangs have increased the prominence over juveniles and drug addicts in the daytoday operation took social media, the internet and television explosion of the gangster rap culture has glorified the lifestyle to juveniles. An africanamerican game has become the norm in the street gang life with no longer a strict hierarchy. Presently gangs of actions that number into the hundreds. In chicago one gang is over 200 factions operating in the city and dozens more in the metropolitan area. In many suburban areas every black has its own faction of what is being called the hybrid gang. Hybrid gang consists of Younger Generation of gang members, gang members of different racial, ethnic groups and gang members that were or are from different gangs. These have no hierarchy or no symbolic association with more than one gang. The hispanic gangs of large remained under control of a strict hierarchy. The hispanic gangs are committed to the codes of colors and territory and loyalty to the gang. The hispanic and still abide by the people folks from the late 1970s. Gang members prior an individual cannot help themselves by getting them addicted to certain drug and that we can provide them with that drug. Gang members have become a a staple for supply fentanyl and carfentanil in the streets. A quarter of the milligram per fentanyl can kill you almost instantly. Carfentanil is 10,000 times powerful than morphine and 100 times more stronger than fentanyl. The Younger Generation are more tech savvy than ever before. The internet has made enormous it easier for gang members to reach a Larger Customer base and selling of strickland. At any time i can go on the internet or social media and within seconds interact with a gang member to purchase any type of drug i wish. I have personally visited these types of crimes and it is becoming chilling to extent denounce a variety of drugs available to be purchased as well as weapons. The cause of Gang Violence stems from factors such as fighting over selling drugs, comments made a social media, rap song lyrics that each gang priest about the rivals and hispanic gangs fighting over colors and territory. Gang members that they can violence within the communities to a higher level than ever before. Juveniles and innocent bystanders are being shot and killed more than ever. Gang members you targeting of rival gangs damages as a worthy target as targeting the interview gang member themselves. In illinois, an individual shot in either victim or witness makes a positive identification of that offender, the victim does not wish to prosecute, the offender is not charged with the offense. Often the offender is not charged with any crime. Another hindrance is getting overworked and resource train prosecutors to prove the charges based on the facts and matters of the case rather than what is believed a judge or jury will view on. The biggest obstacle is getting witnesses to cooperate in any type of gang related investigation. Law enforcement does not have the immediate Resources Available to relocate or provide assistance to witnesses. Without assistance or incentive stock we expect witnesses to come forward and place their lives and families in harms way . There are technical logical dances a can help Law Enforcement. Ammunition when fired leaves a unique fingerprint type mark. Requiring samples from all semiautomatics are fully automatic firearms entered into the system would provide Law Enforcement investigators with new immediately that would allow Law Enforcement to be able to stem the proliferation of guns from purchasers to street gang member. Mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member jackson lee, thank you for inviting me to testify today. Lawn for the cannot be the sole answer producing Gang Violence. Law enforcement is only a part of the solution. Prosecutors and judges must be held accountable as well as Law Enforcement is with the rise in Gang Violence. Law enforcement, the judicial system, government and social and economic programs and Committee Involvement are essential to reducing Gang Violence. Not one entity can solve it alone or take credit. It must be accorded effort on all parties. I look forward to answering questions you might have about gangs and a 40 worked with members of the subcommittee to ensure its success in reducing Gang Violence. Thank you. Thank you. Captain marks. Chairman sensenbrenner, Ranking Member jackson lee, disinvestment of the subcommittee, on behalf of the major canisters of america, los angeles kent sheriff jim mcdonald and all the partners who comprise the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task force thank you for and by me to testify on street gang members and sex trafficking. The Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task force combines the resources of local, state and federal Law Enforcement with the Prosecutorial Authority of the los angeles District Attorney of u. S. Attorneys office with a truly victim centered approach. The combination of resources include the Los Angeles County department of children and family services, Los Angeles County probation department, California Department of corrections at a Nonprofit Coalition against slavery and trafficking are all colocated in the same office, literally sitting next to each other. Our colocation model breaks down the previously established silos between agencies and brings to get assistance of discipline to address the victims needs through a victim centered, informed approach. The task force employs originally strategy that crosses jurisdictional boundaries to identify and rescue victims of sex trafficking, while aggressively pursuing traffickers and buyers. For generations criminal street gangs have pursued and have succeeded in criminal enterprise. However the street gangs who struggle it operated their enterprise within an established territory. Their willingness to commit crimes out of their geographical areas was limited to violence against rival gangs and property crimes. For the past several years gangs of move beyond their territorial boundaries and travel throughout the state in teams or as crews as a note to commit residential burglaries and robberies. Los angeles gangs began utilizing a flocking tactic. Flocking criminal street gang members from a single day or multiple gangs and sometimes even rival gangs joined together, traveled throughout the southland and commit residential burglaries by forcing entry into house in overwhelming numbers and in less than a minute or two commit the crime. Now criminal street gang members are proliferating in the illegal sex trafficking market. Gang members have realized a lucrative opportunity sex trafficking offers throughout Los Angeles County. The majority of cases that we handle, the traffickers are a gang member or an affiliate of a gang. The crime of traffic and commercial sexual exploit her children presents a relatively low risk of arrest for the gang member engaged in sex trafficking to previous illegal enterprises such as illegal narcotics, weapons and stolen property placed the process it in immediate threat of arrest due to them or possession of such contraband. For sex traffickers being in the presence of a commercial sexual exporter child is not a crime. To add to that complexity of this issue the commercial sexual exporter child victim, does not want to cooperate because of that strong trauma bond they have with the trafficker. An additional motive in fact, of to pursue sex trafficking is the fact narcotics and weapons of property can be sold once and as we all know, sex Trafficking Victims can be so multiple times a day everyday of the week. In Los Angeles County and throughout california gang members operate sex Trafficking Victims both independently and for the benefit of the gang and frequently gang members will travel to any community to recruit sex Trafficking Victims and they will also travel to any community to sell the Trafficking Victims either online, on the street or in a motel without fear of retaliation or violating another gangs territory. In certain geographically claimed areas of los angeles some gangs require the sick Trafficking Victims to pay a tactic in order to work battery. The practice of taxing as a means of gaining money for the benefit of a gang and is a struggle been employed against Small Businesses. The tax for sex workers has not been uniformly adopted throughout los angeles or california. Using his affiliation to demonstrate his willingness and ability as a criminal to be a capable of committing violence to protect them. Once recruited the gang member exits control over the Trafficking Victim through physical, psychological abuse

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