Our Bill targets youthful offenders for certain punishment when they commit violent acts and offers helpful treatment when they need it. Indeed, one of the major factors responsible for the increases in Juvenile Crime over the past decade is the growth of criminal street gangs a cross this country. In my days as a prosecutro, Gangs were unheard of in Vermont. Unfortuantely, this is no longer the case. Just last month, the Vermont Corrections Commissioner reported significant increases in gang activity occurring in Vermont's prisons.
Gangs violate the law, corrupt our youth, and disturb the tranquility of our streets.
They are a problem we all now face, and they are a driving force in the crime wave which this Congress and the Federal Government must address, in partnership with our states and communities and with law enforcement authorities at all levels. First, we hope to work constructively with our colleagues from the other side of the aise to deal with the problems of gangs and youth violence. We were able to do that in 1994. Senator Biden, who was then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, worked tirelessly to ensure passage ofthe 1994 crime law. The Democratic Youth Violence Bill we introduce Today has been crafted under the leadership of Senator Daschle and reflects the contributions of Senators Bide, Kohl, Feinsten, Kennedy and others.