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Lawmakers propose minimum prison term for gang recruitment

A guard looks on at right as prisoners move through the state prison Thursday, March 3, 2011 in Jackson, Georgia.
David Goldman/AP
A guard looks on at right as prisoners move through the state prison Thursday, March 3, 2011 in Jackson, Georgia.

The Georgia House of Representatives passed legislation Monday imposing mandatory minimum prison terms for gang recruitment.

The bill, which originated in the state Senate, would require judges to impose prison sentences of at least five years on those convicted of recruiting gang members. It also would require tougher penalties for those who recruit someone under age 17 or someone with a disability to a gang, requiring at least a 10-year sentence.

The bill would also require judges to look at the history of people accused of serious crimes to see if they have previously jumped bail or failed to appear in court before allowing the accused an “unsecured judicial release.”

However, Democrats opposed the measure, arguing that mandatory minimum sentences will not solve Georgia’s gang problems and would increase costs to taxpayers and undermine the legacy of former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal, who oversaw landmark criminal justice reforms aimed at reducing the number of people incarcerated in Georgia.

The House passed the bill 99-74, primarily along party lines. Because the House amended the bill in committee, it now heads back to the Senate.