Validation (gang membership)

{{Short description|Being legally identified as a gang member in the United States}}

{{Use mdy|date=February 2024}}

Validation is a legal process in the United States where criminal justice authorities (prison officials, parole officers, police officers, or prosecutors) designate that a person is a member of a gang. Once a person is validated as a gang member, the person is subject to increased sentences, harsher punishments (such as solitary confinement) and more restrictive parole rules.{{cite web|url=https://corrections.az.gov/membership-validation-criteria|title=Membership Validation Criteria|date=15 May 2014|website=az.gov|accessdate=19 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603233329/https://corrections.az.gov/membership-validation-criteria |archive-date=3 June 2015 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/how-gangs-took-over-prisons/379330/|title=How Gangs Took Over Prisons|first=Graeme|last=Wood|website=theatlantic.com|accessdate=19 February 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thepresstribune.com/article/4/20/15/roseville-police-explain-gang-validation-process|title=Roseville police explain gang validation process|website=thepresstribune.com|accessdate=19 February 2018}}{{Cite web |last1=Stuit |first1=Jim |url=http://www.dconc.gov/home/showdocument?id=20783 |title=Validated Gang Members Returning to Durham County from Prison (2013 – 2015) |publisher=Durham County Criminal Justice Resource Center |page=4 |format=pdf |date=May 2017 |access-date=2018-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215023744/http://www.dconc.gov/home/showdocument?id=20783 |archive-date=2018-02-15 |url-status=dead }}

To validate a person as a gang member, the officials generally must provide evidence of several factors, such as tattoos, photographs, admissions, clothing, etc. The list of criteria for the state of California is found in California Code of Regulations Title 15, Article 10 3375.3 and 3378.2.{{Cite web |title=California Code of Regulations - California Code of Regulations |url=https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Index?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=govt.westlaw.com}}

The legal requirements for validating a person are much lower than the requirements for conviction of a crime.