I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 970 
To increase and enhance law enforcement resources committed to investigation 
and prosecution of violent gangs, to deter and punish violent gang crime, 
to protect law-abiding citizens and communities from violent criminals, 
to revise and enhance criminal penalties for violent crimes, to reform 
and facilitate prosecution of juvenile gang members who commit violent 
crimes, to expand and improve gang prevention programs, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 17, 2005 
Mr. SCHIFF (for himself and Mrs. BONO) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To increase and enhance law enforcement resources com-
mitted to investigation and prosecution of violent gangs, 
to deter and punish violent gang crime, to protect law- 
abiding citizens and communities from violent criminals, 
to revise and enhance criminal penalties for violent 
crimes, to reform and facilitate prosecution of juvenile 
gang members who commit violent crimes, to expand 
and improve gang prevention programs, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Gang Prevention and Effective Deterrence Act of 2005’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—CRIMINAL STREET GANG ABATEMENT ACT 
Sec. 100. Findings. 
Subtitle A—Criminal Law Reforms and Enhanced Penalties to Deter and 
Punish Illegal Street Gang Activity 
Sec. 101. Solicitation or recruitment of persons in criminal street gang activity. 
Sec. 102. Criminal street gangs. 
Sec. 103. Violent crimes in furtherance or in aid of criminal street gangs. 
Sec. 104. Interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of criminal 
street gangs. 
Sec. 105. Amendments relating to violent crime in areas of exclusive Federal 
jurisdiction. 
Sec. 106. Increased penalties for use of interstate commerce facilities in the 
commission of murder-for-hire and other felony crimes of vio-
lence. 
Sec. 107. Increased penalties for violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity. 
Sec. 108. Murder and other violent crimes committed during and in relation to 
a drug trafficking crime. 
Subtitle B—Increased Federal Resources to Deter and Prevent At-risk Youth 
From Joining Illegal Street Gangs 
Sec. 110. Designation of and assistance for ‘‘high intensity’’ interstate gang ac-
tivity areas. 
Sec. 111. Enhancement of project safe neighborhoods initiative to improve en-
forcement of criminal laws against violent gangs. 
Sec. 112. Additional resources needed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
to investigate and prosecute violent criminal street gangs. 
Sec. 113. Grants to State and local prosecutors to combat violent crime and to 
protect witnesses and victims of crimes. 
Sec. 114. Reauthorize the gang resistance education and training projects pro-
gram. 
TITLE II—VIOLENT CRIME REFORMS NEEDED TO DETER AND 
PREVENT ILLEGAL GANG CRIME 
Sec. 201. Multiple interstate murder. 
Sec. 202. Expansion of rebuttable presumption against release of persons 
charged with firearms offenses. 
Sec. 203. Venue in capital cases. 
Sec. 204. Statute of limitations for violent crime.
Sec. 205. Predicate crimes for authorization of interception of wire, oral, and 
electronic communications. 
Sec. 206. Clarification to hearsay exception for forfeiture by wrongdoing. 
Sec. 207. Clarification of venue for retaliation against a witness. 
Sec. 208. Amendment of sentencing guidelines relating to certain gang and vio-
lent crimes. 
Sec. 209. Increased penalties for criminal use of firearms in crimes of violence 
and drug trafficking. 
Sec. 210. Possession of firearms by dangerous felons. 
Sec. 211. Conforming amendment. 
TITLE III—JUVENILE CRIME REFORM FOR VIOLENT OFFENDERS 
Sec. 301. Treatment of Federal juvenile offenders. 
Sec. 302. Notification after arrest. 
Sec. 303. Release and detention prior to disposition. 
Sec. 304. Speedy trial. 
Sec. 305. Federal sentencing guidelines. 
TITLE I—CRIMINAL STREET 
GANG ABATEMENT ACT 
SEC. 100. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) violent crime and drug trafficking are per-
vasive problems at the national, State, and local 
level; 
(2) the crime rate is exacerbated by the associa-
tion of persons in gangs to commit acts of violence 
and drug offenses; 
(3) according to the most recent National Drug 
Threat Assessment, criminal street gangs are re-
sponsible for the distribution of much of the cocaine, 
methamphetamine, heroin, and other illegal drugs 
being distributed in rural and urban communities 
throughout the United States;
(4) gangs commit acts of violence or drug of-
fenses for numerous motives, such as membership in 
or loyalty to the gang, for protecting gang territory, 
and for profit; 
(5) gang presence has a pernicious effect on the 
free flow of commerce in local businesses and di-
rectly affects the freedom and security of commu-
nities plagued by gang activity; 
(6) gangs often recruit and utilize minors to en-
gage in acts of violence and other serious offenses 
out of a belief that the criminal justice systems are 
more lenient on juvenile offenders; 
(7) gangs often intimidate and threaten wit-
nesses to prevent successful prosecutions; 
(8) gang recruitment can be deterred through 
increased vigilance, strong criminal penalties, equal 
partnerships with State and local law enforcement, 
and proactive intervention efforts, particularly tar-
geted at juveniles, prior to gang involvement; 
(9) State and local prosecutors, in hearings be-
fore the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, 
enlisted the help of Congress in the prevention, in-
vestigation, and prosecution of gang crimes and in 
the protection of witnesses and victims of gang 
crimes; and