BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó







                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
                            Senator Loni Hancock, Chair              S
                             2013-2014 Regular Session               B

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          SB 473 (Block)                                              
          As Introduced February 21, 2013 
          Hearing date:  April 23, 2013
          Penal Code
          JM:mc

                                 CRIMINAL STREET GANGS  

                                       HISTORY

          Source:  County of San Diego; County of Los Angeles; County of  
                   Alameda 

          Prior Legislation: Proposition 35 of the November 2013 General  
          Election
                       SB 444 (Ackerman) - Ch. 482, Stats. 2005
                       Proposition 21 of the March 2000 Primary Election

          Support: San Diego Sheriff; County of Los Angeles; Los Angeles  
                   County District Attorney; Association for Los Angeles  
                   Deputy Sheriffs; California Narcotics Officers'  
                   Association; California Police Chiefs Association;  
                   Child Abuse Prevention Center; County of San  
                   Bernardino; Crime Victims United of California; Junior  
                   League of San Diego; Junior Leagues of California; Los  
                   Angeles County Probation Officers Union; Riverside  
                   Sheriff's Association; Urban Counties Caucus;  
                   California District Attorneys Association; California  
                   State Sheriffs' Association

          Opposition:California Attorneys for Criminal Justice; American  
                   Civil Liberties Union (unless amended); Taxpayers for  
                   Improving Public Safety




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                                      KEY ISSUES
           
          SHOULD PIMPING, PANDERING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING BE ADDED TO THE  
          LIST OF CRIMES THAT ESTABLISH A "PATTERN OF CRIMINAL GANG  
          ACTIVITY" AS PART OF THE STATUTORY DEFINITION OF A CRIMINAL  
          STREET GANG?

                                                                (CONTINUED)



          SHOULD HIGHER PENALTIES BE IMPOSED FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND  
          PROSTITUTION-RELATED OFFENSES THAT OCCUR WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF A  
          SCHOOL?

                                          
                                       PURPOSE

          The purposes of this bill are to 1) add pimping, pandering and  
          human trafficking to the list of "predicate" crimes that  
          establish a "pattern of criminal gang" activity, which is an  
          essential part of the definition of a criminal street gang; and  
          2) set higher penalties for prostitution offenses that occur  
          within 1,000 feet of a school.

           Existing law  defines "criminal street gang" as any ongoing  
          organization, association, or group of three or more persons,  
          whether formal or informal, having as one of its primary  
          activities the commission of one or more enumerated offenses,  
          having a common name or identifying sign or symbol, and whose  
          members engage in a pattern of gang activity.  (Pen. Code §  
          186.22, subd. (f).)

           Existing law  provides that a pattern of criminal gang  
          activity can be established by a single prior offense and  
          the crime charged in the current prosecution.  (People v.  
          Gardeley (1996) 14 Cal.4th 605, 625.)





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           Existing law  does not require that a person convicted of a  
          gang-related crime<1> be shown to be a member of a gang.   
          The defendant in a gang-related case need not have been  
          involved in the conduct establishing a pattern of gang  
          activity.  (People v. Gardeley (1996) 14 Cal.4th 605,  
          621-622.)

           Existing law  provides that any person who actively participates  
          in a criminal street gang with knowledge that its members  
          engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang  
          activity and who promotes, furthers, or assists in any  
          felonious conduct by members of the gang, shall be punished by  
          imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year, or by 16  
          months, 2, or 3 years in state prison.  (Pen. Code § 186.22,  
          subd. (a).)

           Existing law  provides that any person who is convicted of a  
          felony committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in  
          association with any criminal street gang, with the specific  
          intent to promote, further, or assist in criminal conduct by  
          gang members, shall receive a sentence enhancement or special  
          gang penalty<2>, as specified immediately below.  (Pen. Code §  
          186.22, subd. (b).)

           The (minimum) enhancements (in addition to the prison term  
            for the underlying felony) are:

          § felony (other than specified)       2, 3, or 4 years
          § serious felony                5 years
          § violent felony                10 years
          ---------------------------
          <1> The term "gang-related" generally means any crime done for  
          the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a  
          gang, with the specific intent to promote criminal conduct by  
          gang members.  (Pen. Code § 186.22, subd. (b).) 

          <2> An enhancement is a specific term or number of years added  
          to the standard sentence for a crime.  A special penalty  
          provision is a separate sentencing scheme, not simply a term of  
          years added to the standard sentence




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          § home invasion robbery         life, min. 15 years before  
            parole eligibility
          § carjacking             life, min. 15 years
          § shooting from vehicle         life, min. 15 years
          § extortion or witness intimidation   life, min. 7 years

           Existing law  defines "pattern of criminal gang activity" as  
          the commission of two or more of enumerated "predicate"  
          offenses, provided at least one of the offenses occurred  
          after the effective date of the statute and the last of the  
          offenses occurred within three years after a prior offense,  
          and the offenses were committed on separate occasions, or by  
          two or more persons.  (Pen. Code § 186.22, subd. (e).)  These  
          offenses need not result in a conviction, although  
          prosecutors typically prove the pattern through prior  
          convictions, as proof of convictions is generally certain and  
          simple.  Below is the list of predicate gang crimes:

            (1)        assault with a deadly weapon or by means of force  
          likely to produce great bodily injury;
            (2)        robbery;
            (3)        unlawful homicide or manslaughter;
            (4)        the sale, possession for sale, manufacture, et  
          cetera, of controlled substances;
            (5)        shooting at an inhabited dwelling or occupied motor  
          vehicle;
            (6)        discharging or permitting the discharge of a  
          firearm from a motor vehicle;
            (7)        arson;
            (8)        intimidation of witnesses and victims;
            (9)        grand theft, as specified;
          (10)grand theft of any firearm, vehicle, trailer, or vessel;
          (11)burglary;
          (12)rape;
          (13)looting, as defined;
          (14)money laundering;
          (15)kidnapping;
          (16)mayhem;
          (17)aggravated mayhem;
          (18)torture, as specified;




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          (19)felony extortion, as defined;
          (20)felony vandalism, as defined;
          (21)carjacking, as defined;
          (22)the sale, delivery, or transfer of a firearm;
          (23)possession of a pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of  
              being concealed upon the person;
          (24)threats to commit crimes resulting in death or great bodily  
          injury, as defined;
          (25)theft and unlawful taking or driving of a vehicle;
          (26)<3>felony theft of an access card or account information, as  
          defined;
          (27)counterfeiting, designing, using, attempting to use an  
          access card, as defined;
          (28)felony fraudulent use of an access card or account  
          information, as defined;
          (29)identity theft, as defined and specified;
          (30)wrongfully obtaining Department of Motor Vehicles  
          documentation, as defined;
          (31)prohibited possession of a firearm in violation of Section  
          12021;
          (32)carrying a concealed firearm, as specified;
          (33)carrying a loaded firearm, as specified.

           Existing law  provides:  "A pattern of gang activity may be shown  
          by the commission of one or more of the offenses enumerated in  
          paragraphs (26) to (30), inclusive, of subdivision (e), and the  
          commission of one or more of the offenses enumerated in  
          paragraphs (1) to (25), inclusive, or (31) to (33), inclusive of  
          subdivision (e).  A pattern of gang activity cannot be  
          established solely by . . . offenses enumerated in paragraphs  
          (26) to (30), inclusive, of subdivision (e), alone.  (Pen. Code  
          § 186.22, subd. (j).)"
          ---------------------------
          <3> A pattern of gang activity cannot be established solely by  
          offenses enumerated in paragraphs (26) to (30).  (Pen. Code §  
          186.22, subd. (j).)








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           This bill  adds the following crimes to the list of predicate  
          gang crimes that can be used to establish a pattern of gang  
          activity as part of the proof of the existence of a gang:

           human trafficking;
           pimping; and
           pandering.

          Human Trafficking
          
           Existing law  provides that any person who deprives or violates  
          the personal liberty of another is guilty of human trafficking  
          if the person specifically intends one of the following: 1) to  
          effect or maintain a specified felony prostitution related  
          offense; 2) commit extortion; 3) use a minor to produce or  
          distribute obscene material or child pornography; or 4) obtain  
          forced labor or services.  (Pen. Code § 236.1, subd. (a)-(c).)

                 Human trafficking for forced or coerced labor or  
               services is punishable by a prison term of 5, 8 or 12 years  
               and a fine of up to $500,000.  (Pen. Code § 236.1, subd.  
               (b).)
                 Human trafficking involving forced or coerced sex  
               trafficking, child pornography or extortion is punishable  
               by a prison term of 8, 14 or 20 years and a fine of up to  
               $500,000.  (Pen. Code § 236.1, subd. (b).)

           Existing law  provides that if the person trafficked is a minor  
          and the crime involves a commercial sex act, as specified, the  
          offense is punishable as follows:

                 5, 8 or 12 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.  
                
                 15-years-to-life and a fine of up to $500,000 if the  
               offense involved force, threats, coercion or deceit, as  
               specified.  (Pen. Code § 236.1, subd. (c).)

           Existing law  includes these special rules applicable to human  
          trafficking of a minor:




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                 Whether or not a minor was caused, induced or persuaded  
               to engage in a commercial sex act depends on  the totality  
               of circumstances, including the relationship between the  
               victim and the defendant.
                 Mistake of fact as to the age of the victim is not a  
               defense.
                 Consent by a minor to an act underlying a human  
               trafficking charge is not a defense.  (Pen. Code § 236.1,  
               subd. (d)-(f) 

           Existing law  provides for the following enhancements and special  
          fines in human trafficking cases:

                 The court may impose on the defendant an additional fine  
               of up to $1,000,000.  (Pen. Code § 236.4, subd. (a).) 
                  A defendant who inflicts great bodily injury on the  
               victim of human trafficking shall be punished by a  
               consecutive<4> prison term enhancement of 5, 7, or 10  
               years.  (Pen. Code § 236.4, subd. (b).)  
               A defendant shall receive a consecutive prison enhancement  
               term of 5 years for each prior human trafficking  
               conviction.
           
          Existing law  provides that all fines imposed in trafficking  
          offenses shall be deposited into the Victim Witness Assistance  
          Fund, to be paid or granted as follows:

                 70% to public agencies and non-profits to provide direct  
               victim services.
                 30% to law enforcement and prosecutors in jurisdiction  
               where charges filed for prevention, witness protection and  
               rescue.  (Pen. Code § 236.4, subd. (d).)

           Existing law defines  "unlawful deprivation of liberty" as  
          ---------------------------
          <4> The prison terms for crimes and enhancements can be served  
          consecutively or concurrently.  A concurrent term is served at  
          the same time as another term.  Consecutive terms are served  
          serially and separately.




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          sustained and substantial restriction of another's liberty  
          accomplished through fraud, deceit, coercion, violence, duress,  
          menace or a credible threat of injury to the victim or another  
          person.  (Pen. Code § 186.22, subd. (d).)
           
          Existing law  provides that a victim of human trafficking may  
          bring a civil lawsuit for actual damages, compensatory damages,  
          punitive damages, injunctive relief, any combination of those,  
          or any other appropriate relief.  (Civ. Code § 52.5.)  

          Pimping and Pandering and Related Offenses
           
          Existing law  defines pimping as deriving income from the  
          earnings of a prostitute, deriving income from a place of  
          prostitution, or receiving compensation for soliciting a  
          prostitute.  Pimping is punishable by prison term of three, four  
          or six years and a fine of up to $10,000.  Where the victim is a  
          minor under the age of 16, the prison term is three, six or  
          eight years.  (Pen. Code § 266h, subds. (a)-(b).)

           Existing law  defines pandering as procuring another for  
          prostitution, inducing another to become a prostitute, procuring  
          another person to be placed in a house of prostitution,  
          persuading a person to remain in a house of prostitution,  
          procuring another for prostitution by fraud, duress or abuse of  
          authority, and commercial exchange for procurement.  Pandering  
          is punishable by a prison term of three, four or six years and a  
          fine of up to $10,000.  Where the victim is under the age of 16,  
          the crime is a punishable by a prison term of three, six or  
          eight years.  (Pen. Code § 266i, subd. (a).)

           Existing law  provides that where the defendant is convicted of  
          pimping and pandering, the court may impose an additional fine  
          of up to $5,000.  This fine shall be deposited in the  
          Victim-Witness Assistance Fund and granted to community-based  
          organizations that serve minor victims of human trafficking.   
          (Pen. Code § 266k, subds. (a) and (c).)

           Existing law  includes a number of related statutes concerning  
          the use of force, coercion, duress, enticement or inducement to  




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          bring a person into prostitution or related activities.  These  
          include:

                 Procuring for prostitution against a person's will or by  
               false inducement.  (Pen. Code § 266a - prison felony with a  
               maximum fine of $2,000.)
                 Use of force, threats or duress to compel another to  
               live with another "in an illicit relation."  (Pen. Code §  
               266b - felony subject to § 1170, subd. (h).)
                 Inducing or compelling another person to engage in  
               sexual intercourse, sexual penetration, oral copulation or  
               sodomy by false representations that create fear.  (Pen.  
               Code § 266b - alternate misdemeanor-felony, with a prison  
               term of two, three or four years.) 
                 Receiving money or other valuable thing in exchange for  
               placing another person into a cohabitation arrangement.   
               (Pen. Code § 266d - felony.)
                 Paying for prostitution or to place another person in a  
               house of prostitution.  (Pen. Code § 266e - prison felony.)
                 Receiving money or other valuable thing in exchange for  
               placing another person in custody for immoral purposes.   
               (Pen. Code § 266f - prison felony.)
                 Using force or intimidation to cause a person to place  
               his wife in a house of prostitution, or to leave her in a  
               house of prostitution.  (Pen. Code § 266g - jail felony,  
               with a term of two, three or four years.)
          
          Special Penalties or Enhancements for Crimes Committed at or  
          near a School
           
            Existing law  includes numerous misdemeanor crimes involving  
          prohibited entry or a school or improper conduct at a school.   
          (Pen. Code § 626 et seq.)

           Existing law  includes numerous enhancements or special penalty  
          provisions for crimes committed on or near schools or that pose  
          particular danger to children:

                 Selling or providing specified drugs to a minor on  
               school grounds: enhancement of 5, 7, or 9 years.  (Health &  




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               Saf. Code § 11353.5.)  
                  Manufacturing methamphetamine or PCP in a place where a  
               person under the age of 16- resides: enhancement of 2 years  
               and 5 years where great bodily injury occurs.  (Health &  
               Saf. Code § 11379.7.)  
                  Using minor for drug transactions involving  
               methamphetamine, PCP, LSD on grounds of a church, school,  
               playground, et cetera, (Health & Saf. Code § 11380.1.):  
               enhancement of 1 year (church, playground, et cetera); 2  
               years (school); 1, 2 or 3 years (minor used was four years  
               younger than the perpetrator).  

          Existing law  includes the "Gun-Free School Zone Act," which  
          prohibits possession of a firearm on the grounds of a school or  
          within 1,000 feet of a school without the written permission of  
          the superintendent or his or her representative.<5> Penalties  
          are imposed pursuant to Section 1170, subdivision (h), such that  
          eligible defendants receive jail felony terms.

                 Possession on school grounds is a felony, with a term of  
               two, three or five years.
                 Possession within 1,000 feet of school grounds is a  
               felony, with a term of two, three or five years where the  
               defendants has a specified prior conviction, if the person  
               is prohibited from possessing a firearm, per se, or the  
               firearm is concealable on the person.
                 The crime is an alternate felony-misdemeanor, with a  
               felony term of two, three or five years, in other cases.   
               (Pen. Code § 626.9. subds. (a)-(f).)

           This bill  provides that where a defendant is convicted of human  
          trafficking, or any of a list of crimes related to prostitution  
          or specified forms sexual exploitation, and the crime occurred  
          within 1,000 feet of an elementary, vocation, junior high or  
          high school, the defendant shall receive a prison term sentence  
          ---------------------------
          <5> Exceptions apply for otherwise lawful possession in a  
          private residence:






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          enhancement of three years:

                 The enhancement applies if the crime was committed when  
               the school is open for classes or school-related  
               activities, or when minors are using the facility.  
                 The bill "does not require physical presence on school  
               grounds or within 1,000 feet of school grounds." 

                    RECEIVERSHIP/OVERCROWDING CRISIS AGGRAVATION

          For the last several years, severe overcrowding in California's  
          prisons has been the focus of evolving and expensive litigation  
          relating to conditions of confinement.  On May 23, 2011, the  
          United States Supreme Court ordered California to reduce its  
          prison population to 137.5 percent of design capacity within two  
          years from the date of its ruling, subject to the right of the  
          state to seek modifications in appropriate circumstances.   

          Beginning in early 2007, Senate leadership initiated a policy to  
          hold legislative proposals which could further aggravate the  
          prison overcrowding crisis through new or expanded felony  
          prosecutions.  Under the resulting policy known as "ROCA" (which  
          stands for "Receivership/ Overcrowding Crisis Aggravation"), the  
          Committee held measures which created a new felony, expanded the  
          scope or penalty of an existing felony, or otherwise increased  
          the application of a felony in a manner which could exacerbate  
          the prison overcrowding crisis.  Under these principles, ROCA  
          was applied as a content-neutral, provisional measure necessary  
          to ensure that the Legislature did not erode progress towards  
          reducing prison overcrowding by passing legislation which would  
          increase the prison population.  ROCA necessitated many hard and  
          difficult decisions for the Committee.

          In January of 2013, just over a year after the enactment of the  
          historic Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011, the State of  
          California filed court documents seeking to vacate or modify the  
          federal court order issued by the Three-Judge Court three years  
          earlier to reduce the state's prison population to 137.5 percent  
          of design capacity.  The State submitted in part that the, ". .  
          .  population in the State's 33 prisons has been reduced by over  




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          24,000 inmates since October 2011 when public safety realignment  
          went into effect, by more than 36,000 inmates compared to the  
          2008 population . . . , and by nearly 42,000 inmates since 2006  
          . . . ."  Plaintiffs, who opposed the state's motion, argue in  
          part that, "California prisons, which currently average 150% of  
          capacity, and reach as high as 185% of capacity at one prison,  
                                continue to deliver health care that is constitutionally  
          deficient."  In an order dated January 29, 2013, the federal  
          court granted the state a six-month extension to achieve the  
          137.5 % prisoner population cap by December 31st of this year.  

          In an order dated April 11, 2013, the Three-Judge Court denied  
          the state's motions, and ordered the state of California to  
          "immediately take all steps necessary to comply with this  
          Court's . . . Order . . . requiring defendants to reduce overall  
          prison population to 137.5% design capacity by December 31,  
          2013."         

          The ongoing litigation indicates that prison capacity and  
          related issues concerning conditions of confinement remain  
          unresolved.  However, in light of the real gains in reducing the  
          prison population that have been made, although even greater  
          reductions are required by the court, the Committee will review  
          each ROCA bill with more flexible consideration.  The following  
          questions will inform this consideration:

                 whether a measure erodes realignment;
                 whether a measure addresses a crime which is directly  
               dangerous to the physical safety of others for which there  
               is no other reasonably appropriate sanction; 
                 whether a bill corrects a constitutional infirmity or  
               legislative drafting error; 
                 whether a measure proposes penalties which are  
               proportionate, and cannot be achieved through any other  
               reasonably appropriate remedy; and
                 whether a bill addresses a major area of public safety  
               or criminal activity for which there is no other  
               reasonable, appropriate remedy.

                                      COMMENTS




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          1.    Need for This Bill  

          According to the author:

               SB 473 adds pimping, pandering, and human trafficking  
               to the list of crimes used to enhance penalties for  
               persons affiliated with a criminal street gang.  The  
               bill also creates a "safe school zone" by increasing  
               sentences for convictions of prostitution related  
               crimes that occur within 1,000 feet of a school.  The  
               definition of a criminal street gang triggers enhanced  
               penalties and bail, affects probation and parole  
               conditions, augments law enforcement tools, and  
               affects the way the case is handled by all  
               stakeholders in the system.

               Pimping, pandering, and human trafficking is  
               increasing at an alarming rate across the country as  
               well as in San Diego.  Criminal street gangs have  
               embraced pimping, and human trafficking as a new  
               revenue booster; as it now rivals narcotic sales as a  
               major source of funding for many gangs.  This crime  
               targets our most vulnerable youth, who are often  
               recruited within the walls of the schools they attend.  


               The Department of State's "Trafficking in Person  
               Report 2010" includes the United States in its  
               rankings for the first time in its 10 year history  
               showing the U.S. as a growing magnet for traffickers  
               to conduct their business.  The Central Intelligence  
               Agency estimated that approximately 15,000 to 17,500  
               men, women and children are trafficked into the U.S.  
               every year, making the U.S. one of the top three  
               trafficking destinations along with Japan and  
               Australia.  California, New York, Texas and Nevada are  
               the top destination states in the country.

               States such as California, Florida, and New York are  




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               particularly vulnerable to human trafficking because  
               of factors such as: proximity to international  
               borders, number of ports and airports, significant  
               immigrant population, and large economy that includes  
               industries that attract forced labor.

          2.  Under Existing Law, a Defendant Who Commits Gang-Related Human  
            Trafficking or Pimping and Pandering is Subject to  
            Substantially Enhanced Sentences  

          Under existing law, once the existence of the gang is shown  
          through a pattern of predicate crimes, a defendant who commits  
          any crime at the direction of, in association with, or for the  
          benefit of a gang will receive substantially enhanced penalties.  
           Further, one need not be a gang member to receive gang  
          penalties.  A non-gang member who commits a crime in association  
          with others who are gang members will receive a gang punishment,  
          as long as the crime promotes criminal conduct by gang members.   


          In order for this bill to actually affect gang  
          prosecutions, the bill would have to apply to an entity  
          with a name and identifying symbols that engages in human  
          trafficking or pimping and pandering, but not other  
          offenses listed as predicate gang crimes, such as robbery,  
          murder, burglary, rape, credible threats of death or  
          serious injury, possession of a concealable firearm, or any  
          of the 33 other predicate crimes.  A person convicted of  
          human trafficking would often be convicted in that same  
          case of a predicate gang crime, such as kidnapping or  
          witness intimidation.  As such, it may be unlikely that  
          this bill, when applied in practice, would result in a true  
          expansion of the gang laws or an increase in gang  
          prosecutions.   

          AS EXISTING LAW PROVIDES THAT A DEFENDANT WHO ENGAGES IN   
          GANG-RELATED HUMAN TRAFFICKING OR PIMPING AND PANDERING  IS  
          SUBJECT TO AN ENHANCEMENT OF TWO, FOUR OR TEN YEARS, IN  
          ADDITION TO THE PENALTY FOR THE UNDERLYING CONVICTION OF  
          HUMAN TRAFFICKING, IS THIS BILL NECESSARY IN ORDER TO  




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          ADEQUATELY PROSECUTE AND PUNISH GANG MEMBERS FOR SUCH  
          CRIMES?

              3.   Expansion of Gang Statutes over Time - Predicate  
               Offenses  

          The California Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act  
          (STEP Act) was passed in 1988.  The legislative findings as to  
          the purpose of the STEP Act stated:  "[I]t is the right of every  
          person . . . to be secure and protected from fear, intimidation,  
          and physical harm caused by the activities of violent groups and  
          individuals."  (Pen. Code § 186.21, italics added.)

          Amendments increasing the predicate crimes and penalties have  
          been steadily added to this law.  The original predicate  
          offenses included assault (Pen. Code § 245) robbery, unlawful  
          homicide or manslaughter, trafficking in controlled substances,  
          shooting at an inhabited vehicle (added in 1991), arson and  
          witness intimidation.  Over this time, the offenses of grand  
          theft of a vehicle, grand theft exceeding $10,000, burglary,  
          rape, looting, money laundering, kidnapping, mayhem, torture,  
          felony extortion, felony vandalism and carjacking, firearm  
          trafficking and handgun possession, criminal threats (Pen Code §  
          422) and theft or taking of a vehicle.  Proposition 21 (March  
          2000 primary election) greatly increased the enhancement imposed  
          where a defendant committed a felony for the benefit of a gang.   
          SB 444 (Ackerman), Chapter 482, Statutes of 2005, added access  
          card theft and related crimes to the predicate gang crimes list.  
           (A pattern of committing access card crimes cannot alone  
          establish the existence of a gang.  The pattern must be shown by  
          access card crimes and commission of at least one other  
          predicate gang offense.)   












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          4.  Prison Term Enhancement for Human Trafficking and Sexual  
            Exploitation Crimes Occurring on or near a School - Some  
            Offenses are Jail Felonies; Application of Provision stating  
            that Physical Presence on or near School need not be Proved  

          Vague and Ambiguous Laws are Unconstitutional
          
          A vague term is unconstitutional because it fails to give  
          adequate notice to a defendant of what behavior is prohibited.   
          The California Supreme Court in People v. McCoy (2002) 27  
          Cal.4th 601, 634, has reiterated the rule:

              A statute that either forbids or requires the  
              doing of an act in "terms so vague that men of  
              common intelligence must necessarily guess at its  
              meaning and differ as to its application violates  
              the first essential of due process of law."   
              (Connally v. General Const. Co. (1926) 269 U.S.  
              385, 391.)  The basic premise of the  
              void-for-vagueness doctrine is that "[n]o one may  
              be required at peril of life, liberty or property  
              to speculate as to the meaning of penal statutes."  
               (Lanzetta v. New Jersey (1939) 306 U.S. 451,  
              453.)

          Ambiguity as to how a Prison Term Enhancement Applies to a Crime  
          Punishable by a Felony Jail Sentence
          
          The bill defines a new prison term sentence enhancement of three  
          years for defendants convicted of human trafficking,  
          prostitution and related sexual exploitation crimes that occur  
          within 1,000 feet of school grounds.  However, some of the  
          underlying offenses to which the enhancement applies are subject  
          to the realignment jail felony term provisions in Penal Code  
          Section 1170, subdivision (h).

          The specification of a prison term enhancement for crimes that  
          are punishable by a jail term sentence creates an inherent  
          ambiguity or conflict in the statute that would have to be  




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          interpreted by the courts.  It could be argued that the  
          enhancement only applies if the defendant must be sentenced to  
          prison, regardless of whether the underlying is a jail felony.   
          Specified defendants are not eligible for a jail felony term,  
          including defendants convicted of serious, violent or sex  
          offense.  It could be argued that the enhancement applies to any  
          defendant convicted of any qualifying crime, regardless of where  
          his or her term is served.  That would essentially create a jail  
          term enhancement. 

          SHOULD THE BILL BE AMENDED TO CLARIFY HOW THE ENHANCEMENT FOR  
          CRIMES COMMITTED ON OR NEAR SCHOOL GROUNDS APPLIES TO SENTENCES  
          IMPOSED PURSUANT TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REALIGNMENT?

          Vagueness and Ambiguity Concerns:  Physical Presence on or near  
          School Grounds not Required for the Enhancement to Apply
          
          The bill states:  "A violation of this section does not require  
          physical presence on school grounds or within 1,000 feet of  
          school grounds."  This provision is arguably vague and  
          ambiguous.  It appears likely that the provision concerning  
          physical presence is intended to state that the perpetrator need  
          not be within 1,000 feet of school grounds to be subject to this  
          enhancement. 

          However, the bill does not make this entirely clear.  Perhaps  
          the bill could be amended to provide that the prosecution need  
          not prove that the defendant (the perpetrator or any principal  
          in the crime) was physically present on school grounds or within  
          1,000 feet of school grounds.  

          SHOULD THE BILL BE AMENDED TO CLARIFY THAT THE PROSECUTION NEED  
          NOT PROVE THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS ON OR NEAR SCHOOL GROUNDS?


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