[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3922 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3922

        To expand and improve Federal gang prevention programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 22, 2007

  Mr. Buchanan (for himself and Mr. Keller of Florida) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
 and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period 
    to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
        To expand and improve Federal gang prevention programs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 Reduction, 
Investment, and Prevention Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Designation of and assistance for high intensity gang activity 
                            areas.
Sec. 4. Gang prevention grants.
Sec. 5. Enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative to improve 
                            enforcement of criminal laws against 
                            violent gangs.
Sec. 6. Additional resources needed by the Federal Bureau of 
                            Investigation to investigate and prosecute 
                            violent criminal street gangs.
Sec. 7. Grants to prosecutors and law enforcement to combat violent 
                            crime.
Sec. 8. Expansion and reauthorization of the mentoring initiative for 
                            system involved youth.
Sec. 9. Demonstration grants to encourage creative approaches to gang 
                            activity and after-school programs.
Sec. 10. Short-term State witness protection section.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Violent crime and drug trafficking are pervasive 
        problems at the national, State, and local level.
            (2) According to recent Federal data, sharp increases in 
        violent crime are attributable in part to the spread of 
        criminal street gangs and the willingness of gang members to 
        commit acts of violence and drug trafficking offenses.
            (3) State and local prosecutors, local law enforcement 
        officers, and community leaders, in hearings before Congress 
        and town hall meetings in congressional districts, have called 
        on Congress to provide Federal investments to combat and 
        prevent gang recruitments and crimes.
            (4) Because State and local prosecutors and law enforcement 
        have the expertise, experience, and connection to the community 
        that is needed to assist in combating gang violence, 
        consultation and coordination between Federal, State, and local 
        law enforcement is critical to the successful prosecutions of 
        criminal street gangs.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF AND ASSISTANCE FOR HIGH INTENSITY GANG ACTIVITY 
              AREAS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Governor.--The term ``Governor'' means a Governor of a 
        State, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the tribal leader 
        of an Indian tribe, or the chief executive of a Commonwealth, 
        territory, or possession of the United States.
            (2) High intensity gang activity area.--The term ``high 
        intensity gang activity area'' or ``HIGAA'' means an area 
        within 1 or more States or Indian country that is designated as 
        a high intensity gang activity area under subsection (b)(1).
            (3) Indian country.--The term ``Indian country'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 1151 of title 18, United 
        States Code.
            (4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)).
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' means a State of the United 
        States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, 
        territory, or possession of the United States.
            (6) Tribal leader.--The term ``tribal leader'' means the 
        chief executive officer representing the governing body of an 
        Indian tribe.
    (b) High Intensity Gang Activity Areas.--
            (1) Designation.--The Attorney General, after consultation 
        with the Governors of appropriate States, may designate as high 
        intensity gang activity areas, specific areas that are located 
        within one or more States, which may consist of one or more 
        municipalities, counties, or other jurisdictions as 
        appropriate.
            (2) Assistance.--In order to provide Federal assistance to 
        high intensity gang activity areas, the Attorney General 
        shall--
                    (A) establish local collaborative working groups, 
                which shall include--
                            (i) criminal street gang enforcement teams, 
                        consisting of Federal, State, tribal, and local 
                        law enforcement authorities, for the 
                        coordinated investigation, disruption, 
                        apprehension, and prosecution of criminal 
                        street gangs and offenders in each high 
                        intensity gang activity area;
                            (ii) educational, community, and faith 
                        leaders in the area;
                            (iii) service providers in the community, 
                        including those experienced at reaching youth 
                        and adults who have been involved in violence 
                        and violent gangs or groups, to provide gang-
                        involved or seriously at-risk youth with 
                        positive alternatives to gangs and other 
                        violent groups and to address the needs of 
                        those who leave gangs and other violent groups, 
                        and those reentering society from prison; and
                            (iv) evaluation teams to research and 
                        collect information, assess data, recommend 
                        adjustments, and generally assure the 
                        accountability and effectiveness of program 
                        implementation;
                    (B) direct the reassignment or detailing from any 
                Federal department or agency (subject to the approval 
                of the head of that department or agency, in the case 
                of a department or agency other than the Department of 
                Justice) of personnel to each criminal street gang 
                enforcement team;
                    (C) direct the reassignment or detailing of 
                representatives from--
                            (i) the Department of Justice;
                            (ii) the Department of Education;
                            (iii) the Department of Labor;
                            (iv) the Department of Health and Human 
                        Services;
                            (v) the Department of Housing and Urban 
                        Development; and
                            (vi) any other Federal department or agency 
                        (subject to the approval of the head of that 
                        department or agency, in the case of a 
                        department or agency other than the Department 
                        of Justice) to each high intensity gang 
                        activity area to identify and coordinate 
                        efforts to access Federal programs and 
                        resources available to provide gang prevention, 
                        intervention, and reentry assistance;
                    (D) prioritize and administer the Federal program 
                and resource requests made by the local collaborative 
                working group established under subparagraph (A) for 
                each high intensity gang activity area;
                    (E) provide all necessary funding for the operation 
                of each such local collaborative working group in each 
                high intensity gang activity area; and
                    (F) provide all necessary funding for national and 
                regional meetings of such local collaborative working 
                groups, criminal street gang enforcement teams, and 
                educational, community, social service, faith-based, 
                and all other related organizations, as needed, to 
                ensure effective operation of such teams through the 
                sharing of intelligence and best practices and for any 
                other related purpose.
            (3) Composition of criminal street gang enforcement team.--
        Each team established under paragraph (2)(A)(i) shall consist 
        of agents and officers, where feasible, from--
                    (A) the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
                    (B) the Drug Enforcement Administration;
                    (C) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and 
                Explosives;
                    (D) the United States Marshals Service;
                    (E) the Department of Homeland Security;
                    (F) the Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development;
                    (G) State, local, and, where appropriate, tribal 
                law enforcement;
                    (H) Federal, State, and local prosecutors; and
                    (I) the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Law 
                Enforcement Services, where appropriate.
            (4) Criteria for designation.--In considering an area for 
        designation as a high intensity gang activity area under this 
        section, the Attorney General shall consider--
                    (A) the current and predicted levels of gang crime 
                activity in the area;
                    (B) the extent to which qualitative and 
                quantitative data indicate that violent crime in the 
                area is related to criminal street gang activity, such 
                as murder, robbery, assaults, carjacking, arson, 
                kidnapping, extortion, drug trafficking, and other 
                criminal activity;
                    (C) the extent to which State, local, and, where 
                appropriate, tribal law enforcement agencies, schools, 
                community groups, social service agencies, job 
                agencies, faith-based organizations, and other 
                organizations have committed resources to--
                            (i) respond to the gang crime problem; and
                            (ii) participate in a gang enforcement 
                        team;
                    (D) the extent to which a significant increase in 
                the allocation of Federal resources would enhance local 
                response to the gang crime activities in the area; and
                    (E) any other criteria that the Attorney General 
                considers to be appropriate.
            (5) Relation to hidtas.--If the Attorney General 
        establishes a high intensity gang activity area that 
        substantially overlaps geographically with any existing high 
        intensity drug trafficking area (in this section referred to as 
        a ``HIDTA''), the Attorney General shall direct the local 
        collaborative working group for that high intensity gang 
        activity area to enter into an agreement with the Executive 
        Board for that HIDTA, providing that--
                    (A) the Executive Board of that HIDTA shall 
                establish a separate high intensity gang activity area 
                law enforcement steering committee, and select (with a 
                preference for Federal, State, and local law 
                enforcement agencies that are within the geographic 
                area of that high intensity gang activity area) the 
                members of that committee, subject to the concurrence 
                of the Attorney General;
                    (B) the high intensity gang activity area law 
                enforcement steering committee established under 
                subparagraph (A) shall administer the funds provided 
                under subsection (g)(1) for the criminal street gang 
                enforcement team, after consulting with, and consistent 
                with the goals and strategies established by, that 
                local collaborative working group;
                    (C) the high intensity gang activity area law 
                enforcement steering committee established under 
                subparagraph (A) shall select, from Federal, State, and 
                local law enforcement agencies within the geographic 
                area of that high intensity gang activity area, the 
                members of the Criminal Street Gang Enforcement Team, 
                in accordance with paragraph (3); and
                    (D) the Criminal Street Gang Enforcement Team of 
                that high intensity gang activity area, and its law 
                enforcement steering committee, may, with approval of 
                the Executive Board of the HIDTA with which it 
                substantially overlaps, utilize the intelligence-
                sharing, administrative, and other resources of that 
                HIDTA.
    (c) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than December 1 of each year, 
        the Attorney General shall submit to the appropriate committees 
        of Congress, the Director of the Office of Management and 
        Budget, and the Domestic Policy Council a report that 
        describes, for each designated high intensity gang activity 
        area--
                    (A) the specific long-term and short-term goals and 
                objectives;
                    (B) the measurements used to evaluate the 
                performance of the high intensity gang activity area in 
                achieving the long-term and short-term goals;
                    (C) the age, composition, and membership of gangs;
                    (D) the number and nature of crimes committed by 
                gangs and gang members;
                    (E) the definition of the term ``gang'' used to 
                compile that report; and
                    (F) the programmatic outcomes and funding need of 
                the high intensity gang area, including--
                            (i) an evidence-based analysis of the best 
                        practices and outcomes from the work of the 
                        relevant local collaborative working group; and
                            (ii) an analysis of whether Federal 
                        resources distributed meet the needs of the 
                        high intensity gang activity area and, if any 
                        programmatic funding shortfalls exist, 
                        recommendations for programs or funding to meet 
                        such shortfalls.
            (2) Appropriate committees.--In this subsection, the term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee 
                on Appropriations, and the Committee on Health, 
                Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee 
                on Appropriations, the Committee on Education and 
                Labor, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives.
    (d) Additional Assistant United States Attorneys.--The Attorney 
General is authorized to hire 94 additional Assistant United States 
attorneys, and non-attorney coordinators and paralegals as necessary, 
to carry out the provisions of this section.
    (e) Additional Defense Counsel.--In each of the fiscal years 2009 
through 2013, the Director of the Administrative Office of the United 
States Courts is authorized to hire 71 additional attorneys, non-
attorney coordinators, and investigators, as necessary, in Federal 
Defender Programs and Federal Community Defender Organizations, and to 
make additional payments as necessary to retain appointed counsel under 
section 3006A of title 18, United States Code, to adequately respond to 
any increased or expanded caseloads that may occur as a result of this 
section. Funding under this subsection shall not exceed the funding 
levels under subsection (d).
    (f) National Gang Research, Evaluation, and Policy Institute.--
            (1) In general.--The Office of Justice Programs of the 
        Department of Justice, after consulting with relevant law 
        enforcement officials, practitioners and researchers, shall 
        establish a National Gang Research, Evaluation, and Policy 
        Institute (in this subsection referred to as the 
        ``Institute'').
            (2) Activities.--The Institute shall--
                    (A) promote and facilitate the implementation of 
                data-driven, effective gang violence suppression, 
                prevention, intervention, and reentry models, such as 
                the Operation Ceasefire model, the Strategic Public 
                Health Approach, the Gang Reduction Program, or any 
                other promising municipally driven, comprehensive 
                community-wide strategy that is demonstrated to be 
                effective in reducing gang violence;
                    (B) assist jurisdictions by conducting timely 
                research on effective models and designing and 
                promoting implementation of effective local strategies, 
                including programs that have objectives and data on how 
                they reduce gang violence (including shootings and 
                killings), using prevention, outreach, and community 
                approaches, and that demonstrate the efficacy of these 
                approaches; and
                    (C) provide and contract for technical assistance 
                as needed in support of its mission.
            (3) National conference.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of its formation, the Institute shall design and conduct a 
        national conference to reduce and prevent gang violence, and to 
        teach and promote gang violence prevention, intervention, and 
        reentry strategies. The conference shall be attended by 
        appropriate representatives from criminal street gang 
        enforcement teams, and local collaborative working groups, 
        including representatives of educational, community, religious, 
        and social service organizations, and gang program and policy 
        research evaluators.
            (4) National demonstration sites.--Not later than 120 days 
        after the date of its formation, the Institute shall select 
        appropriate HIGAA areas to serve as primary national 
        demonstration sites, based on the nature, concentration, and 
        distribution of various gang types, the jurisdiction's 
        established capacity to integrate prevention, intervention, re-
        entry and enforcement efforts, and the range of particular 
        gang-related issues. After establishing primary national 
        demonstration sites, the Institute shall establish such other 
        secondary sites, to be linked to and receive evaluation, 
        research, and technical assistance through the primary sites, 
        as it may determine appropriate.
            (5) Dissemination of information.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the date of its formation, the Institute shall develop 
        and begin dissemination of information about methods to 
        effectively reduce and prevent gang violence, including guides, 
        research and assessment models, case studies, evaluations, and 
        best practices. The Institute shall also create a website, 
        designed to support the implementation of successful gang 
        violence prevention models, and disseminate appropriate 
        information to assist jurisdictions in reducing gang violence.
            (6) Gang intervention academies.--Not later than 6 months 
        after the date of its formation, the Institute shall, either 
        directly or through contracts with qualified nonprofit 
        organizations, establish not less than one training academy, 
        located in a high intensity gang activity area, to promote 
        effective gang intervention and community policing. The 
        purposes of an academy established under this paragraph shall 
        be to increase professionalism of gang intervention workers, 
        improve officer training for working with gang intervention 
        workers, create best practices for independent cooperation 
        between officers and intervention workers, and develop training 
        for community policing.
            (7) Support.--The Institute shall obtain initial and 
        continuing support from experienced researchers and 
        practitioners, as it determines necessary, to test and assist 
        in implementing its strategies nationally, regionally, and 
        locally.
            (8) Research agenda.--The Institute shall establish and 
        implement a core research agenda designed to address areas of 
        particular challenge, including--
                    (A) how best to apply and continue to test the 
                models described in paragraph (2) in particularly large 
                jurisdictions;
                    (B) how to foster and maximize the continuing 
                impact of community moral voices in this context;
                    (C) how to ensure the long-term sustainability of 
                reduced violent crime levels once initial levels of 
                enthusiasm may subside; and
                    (D) how to apply existing intervention frameworks 
                to emerging local, regional, national, or international 
                gang problems, such as the emergence of the gang known 
                as MS-13.
            (9) Evaluation.--The National Institute of Justice shall 
        evaluate, on a continuing basis, comprehensive gang violence 
        prevention, intervention, suppression, and reentry strategies 
        supported by the Institute, and shall report the results of 
        these evaluations by no later than October 1 each year to the 
        Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on 
        the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
            (10) Funds.--The Attorney General shall use not less than 3 
        percent, and not more than 5 percent, of the amounts made 
        available under this section to establish and operate the 
        Institute.
    (g) Use of Funds.--Of amounts made available to a local 
collaborative working group under this section for each fiscal year 
that are remaining after the costs of hiring a full time coordinator 
for the local collaborative effort--
            (1) 50 percent shall be used for the operation of criminal 
        street gang enforcement teams; and
            (2) 50 percent shall be used--
                    (A) to provide at-risk youth with positive 
                alternatives to gangs and other violent groups and to 
                address the needs of those who leave gangs and other 
                violent groups through--
                            (i) service providers in the community, 
                        including schools and school districts; and
                            (ii) faith leaders and other individuals 
                        experienced at reaching youth who have been 
                        involved in violence and violent gangs or 
                        groups;
                    (B) for the establishment and operation of the 
                National Gang Research, Evaluation, and Policy 
                Institute; and
                    (C) to support and provide technical assistance to 
                research in criminal justice, social services, and 
                community gang violence prevention collaborations.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $75,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2009 through 2013. Any funds made available under this 
subsection shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 4. GANG PREVENTION GRANTS.

    (a) Authority To Make Grants.--The Attorney General of the United 
States, through the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of 
Justice, may make grants, in accordance with such regulations as the 
Attorney General may prescribe, to States, units of local government, 
tribal governments, and qualified private entities, as specified by the 
Attorney General, to develop community-based programs that provide 
crime prevention, research, and intervention services that are designed 
for gang members and at-risk youth.
    (b) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), a State, unit of local government, tribal government, 
or qualified private entity shall submit to the Attorney General an 
application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Attorney General may reasonably require.
    (c) Use of Grant Amounts.--A grant under this section may be used 
(including through subgrants) for--
            (1) preventing initial gang recruitment and involvement 
        among younger teenagers;
            (2) reducing gang involvement through nonviolent and 
        constructive activities, such as community service programs, 
        development of nonviolent conflict resolution skills, 
        employment and legal assistance, family counseling, and other 
        safe, community-based alternatives for high-risk youth;
            (3) developing in-school and after-school gang safety, 
        control, education, and resistance procedures and programs;
            (4) identifying and addressing early childhood risk factors 
        for gang involvement, including parent training and childhood 
        skills development;
            (5) identifying and fostering protective factors that 
        buffer children and adolescents from gang involvement;
            (6) developing and identifying investigative programs 
        designed to deter gang recruitment, involvement, and activities 
        through effective intelligence gathering;
            (7) developing programs and youth centers for first-time 
        nonviolent offenders facing alternative penalties, such as 
        mandated participation in community service, restitution, 
        counseling, and education and prevention programs;
            (8) implementing regional, multidisciplinary approaches to 
        combat gang violence though coordinated programs for prevention 
        and intervention (including street outreach programs and other 
        peacemaking activities) or coordinated law enforcement 
        activities (including regional gang task forces and regional 
        crime mapping strategies that enhance focused prosecutions and 
        reintegration strategies for offender reentry); or
            (9) identifying at-risk and high-risk students through home 
        visits organized through joint collaborations between law 
        enforcement, faith-based organizations, schools, and social 
        workers.
    (d) Grant Requirements.--
            (1) Maximum.--The amount of a grant under this section may 
        not exceed $1,000,000.
            (2) Consultation and cooperation.--To be eligible to 
        receive a grant under this section an entity shall have in 
        effect as of the date of the application submitted by the 
        entity under subsection (b) agreements to consult and cooperate 
        with local, State, or Federal law enforcement and participate, 
        as appropriate, in coordinated efforts to reduce gang activity 
        and violence.
    (e) Annual Report.--Each recipient of a grant under this section 
shall submit to the Attorney General, for each year in which funds from 
the grant are expended, a report containing--
            (1) a summary of the activities carried out with such funds 
        during the year;
            (2) an assessment of the effectiveness of the crime 
        prevention, research, and intervention activities of the 
        recipient, based on data collected by the recipient;
            (3) a strategic plan for the use of grant funds under this 
        section during the year following the year described in 
        paragraph (1);
            (4) evidence of consultation and cooperation with local, 
        State, or Federal law enforcement or, if the grant recipient is 
        a government entity, evidence of consultation with an 
        organization engaged in any activity described in subsection 
        (c); and
            (5) such other information as the Attorney General may 
        require.
    (f) Definition.--In this section, the term ``units of local 
government'' includes sheriffs departments, police departments, and 
local prosecutor offices.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $35,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2009 through 2013.

SEC. 5. ENHANCEMENT OF PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE 
              ENFORCEMENT OF CRIMINAL LAWS AGAINST VIOLENT GANGS.

    (a) In General.--While maintaining the focus of Project Safe 
Neighborhoods as a comprehensive, strategic approach to reducing gun 
violence in the United States, the Attorney General is authorized to 
expand the Project Safe Neighborhoods program to require each United 
States attorney to--
            (1) identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal street 
        gangs, as defined in section 521(a) of title 18, United States 
        Code, operating within their district; and
            (2) coordinate the identification, investigation, and 
        prosecution of such criminal street gangs among Federal, State, 
        and local law enforcement agencies.
    (b) Additional Staff for Project Safe Neighborhoods.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General may hire Assistant 
        United States attorneys, non-attorney coordinators, or 
        paralegals to carry out the provisions of this section.
            (2) Enforcement.--The Attorney General may hire agents of 
        the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for, 
        and otherwise expend additional resources in support of, the 
        Bureau's Project Safe Neighborhoods/Firearms Violence Reduction 
        program.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013 
to carry out this section. Any funds made available under this 
subsection shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 6. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES NEEDED BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF 
              INVESTIGATION TO INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE VIOLENT 
              CRIMINAL STREET GANGS.

    (a) Expansion of Safe Streets Program.--The Attorney General is 
authorized to expand the Safe Streets Program of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation for the purpose of supporting criminal street gang 
enforcement teams described in section 3(b)(2)(A)(i).
    (b) National Gang Activity Database.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General shall establish a 
        National Gang Activity Database to be housed at and 
        administered by the Department of Justice.
            (2) Description.--The database required by paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    (A) be designed to disseminate information on gangs 
                to law enforcement agencies throughout the country and, 
                subject to appropriate controls, to disseminate 
                aggregate statistical information on such gangs to 
                other members of the criminal justice system, community 
                leaders, academics, and the public;
                    (B) contain critical information on gangs, gang 
                members, firearms, criminal activities, vehicles, and 
                other information useful for investigators in solving 
                and reducing gang-related crimes;
                    (C) operate in a manner that enables law 
                enforcement agencies to--
                            (i) identify gang members involved in 
                        crimes;
                            (ii) track the movement of gangs and gang 
                        members throughout the region;
                            (iii) coordinate law enforcement response 
                        to gang-related violence;
                            (iv) enhance officer safety;
                            (v) provide realistic, up-to-date figures 
                        and statistical data on gang-related crime and 
                        violence;
                            (vi) forecast trends in such crime and 
                        violence and respond accordingly; and
                            (vii) more easily solve such crimes and 
                        prevent such violence; and
                    (D) be subject to guidelines, issued by the 
                Attorney General, specifying the criteria for adding 
                information to the database, the appropriate period for 
                retention of such information, and a process for 
                removing individuals from the database, and prohibiting 
                disseminating gang information to any entity that is 
                not a law enforcement agency, except aggregate 
                statistical information where appropriate.
            (3) Use of riss secure intranet.--From amounts made 
        available to carry out this section, the Attorney General shall 
        provide the Regional Information Sharing Systems such sums as 
        are necessary to use the secure intranet known as RISSNET to 
        electronically connect existing gang information systems 
        (including the RISSGang National Gang Database) with the 
        National Gang Activity Database, thereby facilitating the 
        automated information exchange of existing gang data by all 
        connected systems without the need for additional databases or 
        data replication.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--In addition to amounts otherwise 
        authorized, there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
        Attorney General $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 
        through 2013 to carry out this section.
            (2) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated under paragraph 
        (1) shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 7. GRANTS TO PROSECUTORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COMBAT VIOLENT 
              CRIME.

    (a) In General.--Section 31702 of the Violent Crime Control and Law 
Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13862) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) to hire additional prosecutors to--
                    ``(A) allow more cases to be prosecuted; and
                    ``(B) reduce backlogs; and
            ``(6) to fund technology, equipment, and training for 
        prosecutors and law enforcement in order to increase accurate 
        identification of gang members and violent offenders, and to 
        maintain databases with such information to facilitate 
        coordination among law enforcement and prosecutors.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 31707 of the Violent 
Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13867) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 31707. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each of 
the fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to carry out this subtitle.''.

SEC. 8. EXPANSION AND REAUTHORIZATION OF THE MENTORING INITIATIVE FOR 
              SYSTEM INVOLVED YOUTH.

    (a) Expansion.--Section 261(a) of the Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5665(a)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ``The Administrator shall expand the 
number of sites receiving such grants from 4 to 12.''.
    (b) Authorization of Program.--Section 299(c) of the Juvenile 
Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5671(c)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``There are authorized'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Authorization of appropriations for mentoring 
        initiative.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
        out the Mentoring Initiative for System Involved Youth Program 
        under part E $4,800,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 
        through 2013.''.

SEC. 9. DEMONSTRATION GRANTS TO ENCOURAGE CREATIVE APPROACHES TO GANG 
              ACTIVITY AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General may make grants to public or 
nonprofit private entities (including faith-based organizations) for 
the purpose of assisting the entities in carrying out projects 
involving innovative approaches to combat gang activity.
    (b) Certain Approaches.--For purposes of subsection (a), innovative 
approaches may include the following:
            (1) Encouraging teen-driven approaches to gang activity 
        prevention.
            (2) Educating parents to recognize signs of problems and 
        potential gang involvement in their children.
            (3) Teaching parents the importance of a nurturing family 
        and home environment to keep children out of gangs.
            (4) Facilitating communication between parents and 
        children, especially programs that have been evaluated and 
        proven effective.
    (c) Matching Funds.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General may make a grant 
        under this section only if the entity receiving the grant 
        agrees to make available (directly or through donations from 
        public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward 
        the cost of activities to be performed with that grant in an 
        amount that is not less than 25 percent of such costs.
            (2) Determination of amount contributed.--Non-Federal 
        contributions required by paragraph (1) may be in cash or in 
        kind, fairly evaluated, including facilities, equipment, or 
        services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or 
        services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by 
        the Federal Government, may not be included in determining the 
        amount of such non-Federal contributions.
    (d) Evaluation of Projects.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General shall establish 
        criteria for the evaluation of projects involving innovative 
        approaches referred to in subsection (a).
            (2) Grantees.--A grant may be made under subsection (a) 
        only if the entity involved--
                    (A) agrees to conduct evaluations of the approach 
                in accordance with such criteria;
                    (B) agrees to submit to the Attorney General 
                reports describing the results of such evaluations, as 
                the Attorney General determines to be appropriate; and
                    (C) submits to the Attorney General, in the 
                application required by subsection (e), a plan for 
                conducting such evaluations.
    (e) Application for Grant.--To request a grant under this section, 
a public or nonprofit private entity desiring shall submit an 
application in such form, in such manner, and containing such 
agreements, assurances, and information (including the agreements 
required by subsections (c) and (d) and the plan required by subsection 
(d)(2)(C)) as the Attorney General determines appropriate.
    (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than February 1 of each year, 
the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report describing the 
extent to which innovative approaches referred to in subsection (a) 
have been successful in reducing the rate of gang activity in the 
communities in which such approaches were carried out. Each report 
submitted under this subsection shall describe each such innovative 
approaches used under subsection (a) and the effectiveness of such 
approach.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section for each of the 
fiscal years 2009 through 2013.

SEC. 10. SHORT-TERM STATE WITNESS PROTECTION SECTION.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 37 of title 28, United States 
        Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 570. SHORT-TERM STATE WITNESS PROTECTION SECTION.

    ``(a) In General.--There is established in the United States 
Marshals Service a Short-Term State Witness Protection Section, which 
shall provide protection for witnesses in State and local trials 
involving homicide or other major violent crimes pursuant to 
cooperative agreements with State and local criminal prosecutor's 
offices and the United States attorney for the District of Columbia.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Short-Term State Witness Protection 
        Section shall give priority in awarding grants and providing 
        services to--
                    ``(A) criminal prosecutor's offices for States with 
                an average of not less than 100 murders per year; and
                    ``(B) criminal prosecutor's offices for 
                jurisdictions that include a city, town, or township 
                with an average violent crime rate per 100,000 
                inhabitants that is above the national average.
            ``(2) Calculation.--The rate of murders and violent crime 
        under paragraph (1) shall be calculated using the latest 
        available crime statistics from the Federal Bureau of 
        Investigation during the 5-year period immediately preceding an 
        application for protection.''.
            (2) Chapter analysis.--The chapter analysis for chapter 37 
        of title 28, United States Code, is amended by striking the 
        items relating to sections 570 through 576 and inserting the 
        following:

``570. Short-Term State Witness Protection Section.''.
    (b) Grant Program.--
            (1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
                    (A) the term ``eligible prosecutor's office'' means 
                a State or local criminal prosecutor's office or the 
                United States attorney for the District of Columbia; 
                and
                    (B) the term ``serious violent felony'' has the 
                same meaning as in section 3559(c)(2) of title 18, 
                United States Code.
            (2) Grants authorized.--
                    (A) In general.--The Attorney General is authorized 
                to make grants to eligible prosecutor's offices for 
                purposes of identifying witnesses in need of protection 
                or providing short-term protection to witnesses in 
                trials involving homicide or serious violent felony.
                    (B) Allocation.--Each eligible prosecutor's office 
                receiving a grant under this subsection may--
                            (i) use the grant to identify witnesses in 
                        need of protection or provide witness 
                        protection (including tattoo removal services); 
                        or
                            (ii) pursuant to a cooperative agreement 
                        with the Short-Term State Witness Protection 
                        Section of the United States Marshals Service, 
                        credit the grant to the Short-Term State 
                        Witness Protection Section to cover the costs 
                        to the section of providing witness protection 
                        on behalf of the eligible prosecutor's office.
            (3) Application.--
                    (A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
                under this subsection a prosecutor's office shall 
                submit to the Attorney General an application at such 
                time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
                information as the Attorney General may reasonably 
                require in addition to the information described in 
                subparagraph (B).
                    (B) Contents.--Each application submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) shall--
                            (i) describe the activities for which 
                        assistance under this subsection is sought; and
                            (ii) provide such additional assurances as 
                        the Attorney General determines to be essential 
                        to ensure compliance with the requirements of 
                        this subsection.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for 
        each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013.
                                 <all>