Research Partnership Shows Decline in Gang Prosecutions

A research partnership between the Peace and Justice Law Center (PJLC) and graduate students at the University of California, Irvine has produced early evidence that California’s 2021 gang law reform, AB 333, may be contributing to a decline in gang enhancement prosecutions—while also underscoring the need for continued monitoring and evaluation.

Under PJLC’s guidance, a team of UCI public policy graduate students completed a capstone research project examining the early effects of AB 333, legislation PJLC helped draft to limit overbroad and racially biased gang prosecutions. The students presented their findings at a UCI conference for graduate researchers, faculty, and community members.

AB 333 was enacted to sharply narrow the use of gang enhancements, sentence add-ons that can add decades to a prison term based on vague allegations or guilt by association. Before the reform, prosecutors routinely relied on expansive definitions of gang participation and police “expert” testimony, practices that disproportionately impacted Latino and Black communities.

The research team analyzed both statewide incarceration data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and detailed prosecutorial data from Orange County. PJLC played a hands-on role in shaping the research questions, helping secure and interpret complex datasets, and providing historical and legal context about how gang enhancements have been used in practice.

The findings suggest an overall decline in gang enhancement prosecutions, with particularly sharp reductions in Orange County following AB 333’s implementation. However, the researchers cautioned that gang cases often take years to reach final disposition, meaning many post-reform cases are still pending and not yet reflected in available data.

As a result, the study stops short of making definitive claims about the magnitude of AB 333’s long-term impact. The data points in a promising direction, but it remains too early to determine how durable or widespread these changes will be.

The research also confirmed an ongoing concern: even as the total number of gang enhancements declines, racial disparities persist. Latino defendants continue to account for a disproportionate share of gang-related charges, highlighting the need for continued oversight, improved data transparency, and further reform.

This project reflects PJLC’s broader approach to systemic change. Legal reform does not end when a bill is signed into law. It requires sustained attention, rigorous evaluation, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable findings alongside encouraging ones.

PJLC will continue to support research and monitoring efforts to ensure that reforms like AB 333 are not only well-intentioned, but effective in reducing harm and advancing racial justice over time.