(740 ILCS 147/5)
Sec. 5.
Legislative findings.
(a) The General Assembly hereby finds and declares that it is the right
of every person, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national
origin, sex, age, or disability, to be secure and protected from fear,
intimidation, and physical harm caused by the activities of violent groups
and individuals. It is not the intent of this Act to interfere with the
exercise of the constitutionally protected rights of freedom of expression
and association. The General Assembly hereby recognizes the constitutional
right of every citizen to harbor and express beliefs on any lawful subject
whatsoever, to lawfully associate with others who share similar beliefs, to
petition lawfully constituted authority for a redress of perceived
grievances, and to participate in the electoral process.
(b) The General Assembly finds, however, that urban, suburban, and
rural communities, neighborhoods and schools throughout the State are being
terrorized and plundered by streetgangs. The General Assembly finds that
there are now several hundred streetgangs operating in Illinois, and that
while their terrorism is most widespread in urban areas, streetgangs are
spreading into suburban and rural areas of Illinois.
(c) The General Assembly further finds that streetgangs are often
controlled by criminally sophisticated adults who take advantage of our
youth by intimidating and coercing them into membership by employing them
as drug couriers and runners, and by using them to commit brutal crimes
against persons and property to further the financial benefit to and
dominance of the streetgang.
(d) These streetgangs' activities present a clear and present danger to
public order and safety and are not constitutionally protected. No society
is or should be required to endure such activities without redress.
Accordingly, it is the intent of the General Assembly in enacting this Act
to create a civil remedy against streetgangs and their members that focuses
upon patterns of criminal gang activity and upon the organized nature of
streetgangs, which together have been the chief source of their success.
(Source: P.A. 87-932.)
|