Indianapolis-- U.S. Senator Evan Bayh today announced his co-sponsorship of the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007, which would provide vital resources to local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as grant funding for local youth mentoring and gang intervention programs. The legislation cosponsored by Bayh would toughen federal penalties for gang violence, including making gang recruitment a federal offense, while bolstering local law enforcement and providing funds for community mentoring and gang intervention programs.

At a news conference today in North Central Indianapolis with representatives of Security Dads and the Indianapolis chapter of the O.K. Program of Indiana, Bayh praised the youth mentoring programs for their work to provide positive role models for youth and help keep them away from the damaging influence of gangs.

“This bill targets gang violence a tough but balanced way, providing tools for law enforcement to crack down on crime and for grassroots programs to intervene in the lives of at-risk youth,” Senator Bayh said. “There are more gang members on our streets today than police officers. We can’t let our communities be outmanned and outgunned in the battle against gang violence.”

Senator Bayh noted that today there are an estimated 800,000 gang members nationwide, up from 250,000 reported gang members in 1991, according to the FBI. In Indianapolis, local officials estimate there are more than 1,600 active gang members.

The federal anti-gang legislation would specifically make the recruiting of gang members a federal crime, with the penalty doubled if a minor is recruited. It also increases federal penalties for gang-related violent crimes. Just as importantly, the bill would target more than $400 million on supporting local gang prevention and intervention programs by schools and community organizations, including mentoring and after-school programs. The funds would be awarded on a competitive grant basis; Senator Bayh said Indiana could see millions more in additional federal funding if the bill becomes law.

Senator Bayh also announced his support for the COPS Improvement Act of 2007, which would fully fund the COPS program to $1.15 billion, doubling the current appropriation. Additionally, the bill would set aside $600 million for the purpose of hiring local police officers.

“In recent years, this valuable program has been cut, just as we’ve seen crime rates rise across our country,” Senator Bayh said, noting that since 1995 Indiana has been able to put 519 more police on the streets as a result of COPS funding. “We have to restore funding for this critical program. Government has no more important responsibility than the protection of its people.”

Joining Senator Bayh at today’s announcement were representatives of two successful grassroots Indianapolis programs dedicated to helping children become responsible, law-abiding adults. Security Dads, which was started in 1989 by Indianapolis father Tony Wallace, promotes responsible fatherhood by providing mentoring to youth and by taking an active role in children’s lives at schools, churches and other youth-oriented events. Today, Security Dads has grown into a national program with more than 270,000 volunteer hours logged annually by its members.

“The absence of fathers in the lives of children is one of the greatest scourges in our time,” Wallace said. “Unfortunately, not all of our youth grow up in an environment of family togetherness. As a result, they go out in the world looking for a sense of belonging, and all too often they find that in gangs. What we’re doing is not just replacing the missing link but emphasizing values and hopefully helping lead youth to a path that includes education and responsibility, rather than life on the streets.”

Sgt. Timothy Knight, director of the Indianapolis Chapter of the O.K. Program, also participated in the news conference. The O.K. Program builds partnerships between police and other community organization and gives adults the opportunity to connect with African American young men, as mentors and role models. The Indianapolis program currently works in two area middle schools and one high school.

“Violence in our communities shouldn’t be accepted as the norm,” Sgt. Knight said. “Our communities have to become re-sensitized to this evil of gang violence that in many ways we’ve become de-sensitized to. These resources are important and give us the opportunity to strengthen our efforts, because it’s going to take a deliberate, consistent and sustained effort by people working together at all levels to really have an impact in the lives of our youth and keep them away from the influence of gangs.”

The Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007 was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last month and is now awaiting consideration before the full Senate.

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