Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005

The Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005 (H.R. 1279) proposes to significantly increase federal penalties for crimes committed by members of criminal street gangs. The bill establishes mandatory minimum sentences for gang-related offenses, ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, and expands the application of the death penalty for certain gang crimes that result in death.

For everyday citizens, the bill would increase federal law enforcement's role in local communities by creating "High Intensity Interstate Gang Activity Areas" (HIIGAAs) and a National Gang Intelligence Center to coordinate between local, state, and federal agencies. It also lowers the threshold for prosecuting juveniles as adults for certain violent crimes and introduces new mandatory sentences for non-citizens involved in gang activity or drug trafficking. While the bill passed the House of Representatives in May 2005, it did not advance past the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and has not become law.