California: Demand Accountability for the State’s Gang Database
Success! Gov. Jerry Brown signed A.B. 2298 on Sept. 28, 2016.
CalGang, the state of California’s gang database, is an embarrassment to law enforcement and a grave threat to civil liberties. Right now, Californians have a chance to enact real accountability measures that give people a right to know whether they’re in the database and challenge their inclusion.
Tell Gov. Jerry Brown to sign A.B. 2298.
A recent state auditor’s report has found that CalGang lacks oversight and contains much unsubstantiated information. The report found that law enforcement officials who use CalGang frequently ignored state laws requiring them to notify the parents of minors that their child was listed as a suspected gang member. They failed to follow basic standards for protecting privacy and civil liberties.
CalGang contains data on more than 150,000 people that law enforcement has deemed connected to criminal gangs, often with weak or even no evidence to support police assumptions. The database has a disproportionate impact on People of Color, putting them at risk for greater surveillance, arrests, and overzealous prosecution. CalGang’s problems, the auditor found, has resulted in “diminished… crime-fighting value.”
It’s time for the public to demand accountability. Tell Gov. Brown to make A.B. 2298 law today.
