Las Vegas police and judges are rolling out a two-pronged experiment to tackle a worrying rise in violent crimes involving kids. On one side is a new Metropolitan Police Department juvenile task force that tries to meet teens where they are. On the other hand is a “last-chance” court program that steers some certified youths into treatment instead of prison. Both efforts are brand-new and tightly focused, arriving in the shadow of several brutal, high-profile cases that have put serious heat on prosecutors and the courts. City officials say the goal is to protect neighborhoods while still trying to change the life paths of at-risk young people.
Numbers Behind the Push
The scale is clear enough: the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s 2024…..