In an interview on Friday, Vance declared his priorities for the group, which is open to all district attorneys of New York State, U.S. Attorneys and their staffs, and the Attorney General. Vance told the media those state statutes, which cover gang violence, and in particular sections dealing with witness tampering and obstruction, need to be enhanced. He said, “Gang violence is continuing to flourish, not just in Manhattan but downstate and upstate.”
Vance mentioned that state laws regarding witness tampering sometimes do not criminalize attempts to coerce witnesses during early stages of an investigation when charges are yet to be filed. He also mentioned that “gang assault” is made applicable only in cases of serious physical injuries, while minor injuries suffered from gang attacks that do not cause permanent damage are exempt from being treated as “gang assault.”
Vance was also vocal on the business crime laws of New York, and said that they were outdated and were insufficient to address cybercrime. He said, “While the federal government has constantly revised its business crime statutes, New York State has not … I think it's a task that's overdue. We should be evaluating what our business crime laws should look like in 2012 as opposed to 1929.”
To emphasize his point, Vance drew attention to the Martin Act, 1921, that is used by the attorney general's office to pursue financial fraud cases without needing to prove an intent to defraud. He mentioned that the Martin Act also does not distinguish between small-scale securities fraud and complex, multimillion-dollar scams when it comes to punishment.
