Remove Gang enhancement pc 186.22 from non violent crimes 

    Gang enhancement is defined as a criminal act committed by a member to benefit one’s gang. For example, a group of three or more people who share a common identity engage in criminal activity may claim territory for their gang. 

Gang enhancements sentences can range from 2-15 years depending on the crime. There are different kinds of gangs for example Street gangs, Motorcycle gangs, etc.

     Gang enhancements mostly targets the lower-class communities, majorly Black and Latinos. Research states 92% of cdcr inmates were black and Latino, and 3% white. 

Gang enhancements are being misused 

in some cases. Gang enhancements often out weighs the base term of the crime and California is the only state that applies gang enhancements.

     How can you say a crime was committed to benefit the gang and not oneself? Just because a gang member commits a crime, it doesn’t mean it was to benefit the gang. For example, three gang members commit a burglary. Due to them being gang members they are going to be charged with gang enhancement. The crime could have been committed to benefit oneself. The criminal justice system has been misusing the gang enhancement laws for years by adding additional time to sentences because a gang member commits a crime. Let’s remove gang enhancement from non-violent crimes.