By Rebecca Grapevine
Capitol Beat News Service
Atlanta-the Senate has approved a far-reaching legislative proposal to contain the flood of gang crimes in Georgia.
The 10-page law of Senator John Albers, R-Roswell, has a number of changes to the criminal law criminal law in Georgia to address the violence of gangs.
Albers said he had consulted a wide range of groups to create the law, including prosecutors, judges, law groups of the victims, district prosecutors, process lawyers, activists and others.
“This is the urgently needed and real reform of the criminal justice,” said Albers.
Legislation increases the punishment for the possession of a firearm by a person who was convicted of violence or domestic violence.
The sentence between one to five years in prison can currently be enough. According to Albers' draft law, this would increase to at least five years behind bars.
The measure also provides a number of procedural changes to Georgia's gear laws. If it is adopted, it would stipulate that judge of the higher -level court treats all supporting negotiations for gang crimes. Richter at the moment sometimes go with these hearings.
Albers gave the example of a murder of a child from 2010 at a gang member who had been released by a judge in Bond.
Local governments and others could also bring civilian, not just criminal measures against gang members. The draft law would also consolidate the places where criminal convictions could be pursued.
“Gang members will often continue to move from district to city,” said Albers. “Instead of trying to follow this in several areas, it enables them to consolidate it in a single place.”
Certain crimes in the past have also been used to demonstrate the membership of the gangs.
The legislation would also require that people who were convicted of repetition of abuse of children, people with special needs and older people in most cases receive the maximum sentence. It also enables earlier evidence of persecution of people who are charged with these crimes.
The Senate approved the draft law with 44-8 votes. It will now switch to the Georgia representative house for examination.
