By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-823932.mp3
Dallas, TX – A Dallas State Senator wants to add a new weapon in the war on gangs, drugs and violence. KERA's BJ Austin says he's proposing "Gang Free Zones."
Republican State Senator John Carona wants the Legislature to create the Gang Free Zones around schools, playgrounds, shopping malls, youth centers, and other places kids congregate. He says the Gang Free Zones would help slow down "recruiting" by dangerous trans-national gangs.
Carona: The gang threat in Texas is our greatest threat in this state to homeland security. Make no doubt about it.
Senator Carona says gangs today are so sophisticated they "outsource". He says they'll often contract-out "enforcement" to lesser gangs with violent reputations.
Lead gang prosecutor in Dallas County, Assistant District Attorney Heath Harris, says the zones would add to the law prosecutors currently use to "bump up" the penalty for gang crimes.
Harris: Let these guys know the cost of doing business in these areas has just increased. We can not only get em again for what they're doing, but specifically for "where" they're doing it.
Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins joined Senators Florence Shapiro of Plano, Wendy Davis of Fort Worth and Joan Huffman of Houston in a bipartisan show of support for Senator Corona's bill.