GANGS AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
Washington 137-28-260. Serious infractions
734 Inciting others/participation in unacceptable group behavior
Participating or engaging in the activities of any unauthorized club, organization, gang or security threat group; or wearing or possessing the symbols of an unauthorized club, organization, gang or security threat group.
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GANGS AND SCHOOLS
Washington 148-120-100 Conduct violations.
A student who, either as actor, aider, abettor, or accomplice, violates any provision of this chapter shall be subject to the disciplinary actions herein adopted. A student may be an accomplice, or found to have aided and abetted in the commission of a violation of the student conduct code if he or she knowingly associates with the wrongful purpose, undertaking or activity; encourages, promotes, or counsels another student in the commission of an offense, or participates in it as in something he or she desires to bring about, and seeks by his or her action to make it succeed.
The following offenses are prohibited:
(21) Gang activity. Claiming membership in, association with, affiliation with, or participation in a gang or gang-related activities at school or during school-related functions. A gang is a self-formed association of peers having the following characteristics: A gang name and recognizable symbols, identifiable leadership, a geographic territory, a regular or recurrent meeting pattern, may be identified by law enforcement as a gang, and collective actions to engage in serious criminal, or violent behavior. The type of dress, apparel, activities, acts, behavior, or manner of grooming displayed, reflected, or participated in by a student shall not:
(a) Lead school officials to reasonably believe that such behavior, apparel, activities, acts, or other attributes are gang-related, and would disrupt or interfere with the school environment or activity, and/or educational objectives;
(b) Present a safety hazard to self, students, or staff;
(c) Create an atmosphere in which a student, or other person's well-being is hindered by undue pressure, behavior, intimidation, overt gesture, or threat of violence; or
(d) Imply gang membership or affiliation by written communication, marks, drawings, painting, design, emblem upon any school or personal property, or one's person.
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GANGS AND WEAPONS
Washington 9.41.225. Use of machine gun in felony-Penalty
It is unlawful for a person, in the commission or furtherance of a felony other than a violation of RCW 9.41.190, to discharge a machine gun or to menace or threaten with a machine gun, another person. A violation of this section shall be punished as a class A felony under chapter 9A.20 RCW. [1989 c 231 § 3.] NOTES:
Intent--1989 c 231: "The legislature is concerned about the increasing number of drug dealers, gang members, and other dangerous criminals who are increasingly being found in possession of machine guns. The legislature recognizes that possession of machine guns by dangerous criminals represents a serious threat to law enforcement officers and the general public. The use of a machine gun in furtherance of a felony is a particularly heinous crime because of the potential for great harm or death to a large number of people. It is the intent of the legislature to protect the public safety by deterring the illegal use of machine guns in the furtherance of a felony by creating a separate offense with severe penalties for such use of a machine gun." [1989 c 231 § 1.].
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JUVENILE GANG MEMBERS
Washington 275-46-010. Definitions
(9) "Specialized treatment program" means a program that addresses additional rehabilitation needs such as sex offender treatment, drug/alcohol treatment, mental health interventions, gang intervention, gender/age specific intervention and other programs meeting specific rehabilitation needs of juveniles.
Washington 43.310.005 Finding
The legislature finds and declares that:
(1) The number of youth who are members and associates of gangs and commit gang violence has significantly increased throughout the entire greater Puget Sound, Spokane, and other areas of the state;
(2) Youth gang violence has caused a tremendous strain on the progress of the communities impacted. The loss of life, property, and positive opportunity for growth caused by youth gang violence has reached intolerable levels. Increased youth gang activity has seriously strained the budgets of many local jurisdictions, as well as threatened the ability of the educational system to educate our youth;
(3) Among youth gang members the high school drop-out rate is significantly higher than among non gang members. Since the economic future of our state depends on a highly educated and skilled work force, this high school drop-out rate threatens the economic welfare of our future work force, as well as the future economic growth of our state;
(4) The unemployment rate among youth gang members is higher than that among the general youth population. The unusual unemployment rate, lack of education and skills, and the increased criminal activity could significantly impact our future prison population;
(5) Most youth gangs are subcultural. This implies that gangs provide the nurturing, discipline, and guidance to gang youth and potential gang youth that is generally provided by communities and other social systems. The subcultural designation means that youth gang participation and violence can be effectively reduced in Washington communities and schools through the involvement of community, educational, criminal justice, and employment systems working in a unified manner with parents and individuals who have a firsthand knowledge of youth gangs and at-risk youth; and
(6) A strong unified effort among parents and community, educational, criminal justice, and employment systems would facilitate:
(a) The learning process;
(b) the control and reduction of gang violence;
(c) the prevention of youth joining negative gangs; and
(d) the intervention into youth gangs. [1993c 497 § 1.]
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LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING
Washington 139-10-236 Work release academy curriculum.
The basic work release academy curriculum of the Washington state criminal justice training commission shall be forty instructional hours in length and shall include, but not be limited to, the following subject matter areas:
(a) Gang identification
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MISCELLANEOUS GANG LEGISLATION
Washington 43.310.005. Finding
The legislature finds and declares that:
(1) The number of youth who are members and associates of gangs and commit gang violence has significantly increased throughout the entire greater Puget Sound, Spokane, and other areas of the state;
(2) Youth gang violence has caused a tremendous strain on the progress of the communities impacted. The loss of life, property, and positive opportunity for growth caused by youth gang violence has reached intolerable levels. Increased youth gang activity has seriously strained the budgets of many local jurisdictions, as well as threatened the ability of the educational system to educate our youth;
(3) Among youth gang members the high school drop-out rate is significantly higher than among non gang members. Since the economic future of our state depends on a highly educated and skilled work force, this high school drop-out rate threatens the economic welfare of our future work force, as well as the future economic growth of our state;
(4) The unemployment rate among youth gang members is higher than that among the general youth population. The unusual unemployment rate, lack of education and skills, and the increased criminal activity could significantly impact our future prison population;
(5) Most youth gangs are subcultural. This implies that gangs provide the nurturing, discipline, and guidance to gang youth and potential gang youth that is generally provided by communities and other social systems. The subcultural designation means that youth gang participation and violence can be effectively reduced in Washington communities and schools through the involvement of community, educational, criminal justice, and employment systems working in a unified manner with parents and individuals who have a firsthand knowledge of youth gangs and at-risk youth; and
(6) A strong unified effort among parents and community, educational, criminal justice, and employment systems would facilitate:
(a) The learning process;
(b) the control and reduction of gang violence;
(c) the prevention of youth joining negative gangs; and
(d) the intervention into youth gangs. [1993c 497 § 1.]
