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California enacted the "Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention (STEP) Act - Penal Code 186.22 to help fight the rise of gang crimes in the 1980's. It was a powerful tool for prosecutors, enhancing the sentence of anyone convicted of committing a crime for the benefit of or at the direction of a gang. But today PC 186.22 is being abused and misused by prosecutors to force non-gang members to accept lengthy sentences in plea negotiations or face even longer sentences if convicted of PC 186.22. This week we will speak with noted gang expert, Martin M. Flores about how more and more p
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