Mynesha's Law

(1) with an estimated 24,500 gangs operating within the United States, gang violence and drug trafficking remain serious problems throughout the country, causing injury and death to innocent victims, often children;

(2) on November 13, 2005, a gang-related dispute broke out in San Bernardino, California, and gunfire sprayed an apartment building, killing 11-year old Mynesha Crenshaw and seriously wounding her 14-year old sister as they ate Sunday dinner with their family;

(3) this tragic shooting symbolizes the struggle that so many communities across the United States, like San Bernardino, face in combating gang violence, and serves as a reminder of the nationwide problem of protecting children from senseless violence;

(4) according to the National Drug Threat Assessment, criminal street gangs are responsible for the distribution of much of the cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and other illegal drugs throughout the United States;

(5) the Federal Government has made an increased commitment to the suppression of gang violence through enhanced law enforcement and criminal penalties; and

(6) more Federal resources and coordination are needed to reduce gang violence through proven and proactive prevention and intervention programs that focus on keeping at-risk youth in school and out of the criminal justice system.

A unit of local government, city, county, tribal government, or a group of counties (whether located in 1 or more States) may submit an application to the Attorney General for designation as a High-Intensity Gang Activity Area.

The Attorney General shall establish criteria for reviewing applications submitted under subsection (a).

In establishing criteria under subsection (a) and evaluating an application for designation as a High-Intensity Gang Activity Area, the Attorney General shall consider—

(A) the current and predicted levels of gang crime activity in the area;

(B) the extent to which violent crime in the area appears to be related to criminal gang activity;

(C) the extent to which the area is already engaged in local or regional collaboration regarding, and coordination of, gang prevention activities; and

(D) such other criteria as the Attorney General determines to be appropriate.

In order to coordinate Federal assistance to High-Intensity Gang Activity Areas, the Attorney General shall establish an Interagency Gang Prevention Task Force (in this Act referred to as the Task Force), consisting of a representative from—

(1) the Department of Justice;

(2) the Department of Education;

(3) the Department of Labor;

(4) the Department of Health and Human Services; and

(5) the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

For each High-Intensity Gang Activity Area designated by the Attorney General under section 3, the Task Force shall—

(1) coordinate the activities of the Federal Government to create a comprehensive gang prevention response, focusing on early childhood intervention, at-risk youth intervention, literacy, employment, and community policing; and

(2) coordinate its efforts with local and regional gang prevention efforts.

The Task Force shall prioritize the needs of High-Intensity Gang Activity Areas for funding under—

(1) the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.);

(2) the Even Start programs under subpart 3 of part B of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6381 et seq.);

(3) the Healthy Start Initiative under section 330H of the Public Health Services Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–8);

(4) the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.);

(5) the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171 et seq.);

(6) the Job Corps program under subtitle C of title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2881 et seq.);

(7) the community development block grant program under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.);

(8) the Gang Resistance Education and Training projects under subtitle X of title III of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13921);

(9) any program administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services;

(10) the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant program under part R of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ee et seq.);

(11) the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq.); and

(12) any other program that the Task Force determines to be appropriate.

Not later than February 1 of each year, the Task Force shall submit to Congress and the Attorney General a report on the funding needs and programmatic outcomes for each area designated as a High-Intensity Gang Activity Area.

Each report under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A) an evidence-based analysis of the best practices and outcomes among the areas designated as High-Intensity Gang Activity Areas; and

(B) an analysis of the adequacy of Federal funding to meet the needs of each area designated as a High-Intensity Gang Activity Area and, if the Task Force identifies any programmatic shortfalls in addressing gang prevention, a request for new funding or reprogramming of existing funds to meet such shortfalls.