Gang Court Experts Working With Local Officials

Two experts on gangs will visit Yakima today to teach intervention and prevention techniques to county probation officers. County court consultant Harold Dehlia says the experts are from Florida and Texas who'll work with local officials today and the county gang outreach team. The aim is to continue to the success of Yakima's gang court that started a year ago this month.

Yakima's gang court works a lot like drug court, an intensive program that involves weekly meetings between the judge, teen and his or her parents and the court. As the first of it's kind in the country, it's attracting lots of attention. Dehlia says it's a model other counties follow when it comes to helping troubled kids. Within the next month, officials from Pierce and King counties will visit Yakima to see how the court operates and if those counties can follow Yakima's lead.