According to the Tribune: Local authorities now have the power to go after street gangs as criminal organizations under a new Illinois law. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the Street Gang RICO Act today.It goes into effect immediately. Not sure how it will work out, but we are happy that gangbangers are finally legally recognized as the urban blight that they are. Not "good boys just hanging with the wrong people," but members of a well-organized, intentional criminal organization.
Now let's see the States Attorney and the courts put some teeth into it.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=097-0686
ReplyDeleteHooray!!! Let's get the gangs out of here!
ReplyDeleteLets hope the police and courts use this great tool to clean up the streets once and for all. I wonder if Rico can be used on a minor gang banger too. As I recall in most states it can be used on 18 and over not on minors.
ReplyDeleteThey been using the Rico laws in Elgin for years. They also sue the known gang members. Sadly, I doubt Chicago will enforce it. We don't enforce the federal mandatory 10year minimum on felons caught with guns.
ReplyDeleteamericanlt, please don't be pessimistic.
ReplyDeleteMore smoke and mirrors...
ReplyDeleteSorry folks, but this is just more BS being perpetrated on the public to make it LOOK LIKE the politicians care. More than enough laws ALREADY exist to make a difference but the State's Attorneys and judges just refuse to get tough with these gangs.
Here are some other problems:
* Gov. Quinn wants to resume his early release of prisoners program to cut prison costs.
* Too many cases are being plea bargained by the ASA in order to keep the "conviction" rate high.
* In plea bargaining, most often, more serious felony charges are dropped in order to get a "conviction" on a misdemeanor charge. The ASA will tout this as a VICTORY, while the convict walks free to offend again. This also allows the judges to sidestep MANDATORY SENTENCING. If a "felon with a firearm" carries a MANDATORY jail term, but the charge is plea bargained to a misdemeanor "possession of a firearm" charge, guess what? No more MANDATORY JAIL TIME!
* Truth in sentencing. Federal prisoners must COMPLETE 85% of the jail time they are given by the judge. Cook County prisoners barely do 50%, even LESS if Quinn springs them early.
* Victims stop showing up to court after multiple continuances are granted to defense lawyers. Another tried and true gimmick to keep people out of jail... DWP - Dismissed for Want of Prosecution (ie. no victim in court). Just how many days does a victim have to take off of work to attend court, only to be sent home without a hearing? It's just RE-victimizing the victims and its exasperating.
And so on, and so on...
Oh, and by the way, RICO investigations require lots of police manpower to get evidence on these cases. Hundreds of hours of investigation by many officers. Good luck with THAT. The CPD hasn't promoted Detectives in almost 4 years.
And now, the CPD is FINALLY acknowledging they are shorthanded by having officers work their days off for time and a half in order to make up for manpower shortages.
A day late and a dollar short, if you ask me!