(Washington, DC)— Congresswoman Diane E. Watson has offered an amendment to the 2006 Department of Justice Authorization bill that requires the Department to issue a yearly report on major gangs operating in the United States. 

 “The report will be the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive overview of gang activity in the U.S.,” said Congresswoman Watson.  “It will be used by local, state, and federal law enforcement officials and, I believe, become an annual benchmark for policy makers and members of Congress to assess the success or failure of anti-gang initiatives.”

The annual report, to be prepared by the Office of Juvenile Justice Programs, Department of Justice, will include a description of gang activities and an assessment of the demographic characteristics of gang members and the impact of gangs on public and private schools.