What is the Cal gang database?

The database, known as CalGang, is used by law enforcement agencies across the state to store names and personal details of nearly 90,000 people suspected of being active gang members or possibly associating with them.

What is required before an individual can be entered in the gang files?

Gang Intelligence Files Federal law requires that there is an established criminal predicate for an individual before that person’s information may be placed into an intelligence file. The California Department of Justice governs the proper maintenance of intelligence files.

What is the biggest criticism of operating a gang database?

Nationally, state & local gang databases. Agencies share their databases throughout the state and prosecutors use them to levy additional charges against gang members. The weakness of gang databases: they’re not updated and people’s name stay in there a long time, even if the person is not in the gang anymore.

What does gang intelligence unit do?

A Gang Intelligence Unit (GIU) is a unit within American law enforcement that works to recognize threats posed by gangs within a geographical location, and often assists federal, state, and local law enforcement operations.

What is a gang card?

The cards contain identifying information about the individual and information about the individual’s gang affiliation (or association with gang members).

How many gang members are in Southern California?

The FBI estimates that in the entire seven-county region (San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange counties), as many as 1,350 street gangs are active with as many as 175,000 members.

What does it mean to be a registered gang member in California?

With the passage of Proposition 21 on March 8, 2000, street gang members may be ordered by the court to register with local law enforcement as crimi- nal street gang members if they are found guilty of violations of Sections (a) or (b) of 186.22 of the Penal Code, or on order of the court if found guilty of any crime …

What is a documented gang member?

This means that the companion must have claimed his or her gang membership at the time of the contact or the companion is already documented as a gang member. “Associates” of gangs who may not (yet) be members of the gang but frequently associate with known members.

What is the purpose of a gang database?

A gang database is an intelligence system, often in an electronic format, that stores information about known or suspected gang members. Today, 12 states have passed legislation outlining the use of gang databases.

How do gang members identify themselves?

Graffiti, hand signs, colors, and tattoos are indicators of gang affiliation. Gang members have their own language, which contains phrases, hand signs, tattoos, markings and graffiti. These often overlap. As a parent, you may not recognize them right away.