Kern County launched a $20 million battle against gang violence last year. Officials say it's already paying off in more arrests, and statistics show how the programs are already helping to keep kids out of gangs.

One part of the "Gang Violence Strategic Plan" is beefing up the sheriff's gang suppression unit. As of this week, Sheriff Donny Youngblood says there are now 21 officers in the unit, up from only eight before the plan was started.

"We've probably had more arrests in the last 12 months than we've ever had," said Sheriff Youngblood. He chalks that up to having more officers who can do different tasks to fight gang crime.

Sgt. Ron Maniord agreed. "We've got more personnel out there," Maniord said during a ride-along with officers. "We're able to spread into separate responsibilities, is how I like to put it."

Sgt. Maniord says the unit is now split into a "street team" and also an "investigation team." Youngblood says that's an important change.

"The investigation division part of that gang task force does nothing but track who they are, where they live, and what they're doing," said Youngblood. "They feed that information to the street gang task force officers, who then go out and have an advantage."

The sheriff says with more information and more officers, the gang unit is now proactive and getting ahead of the violence. "If they have a gang shooter that they're anticipating is going to be in a certain place, they'll sit on a place until he or she shows up."

The beefed-up gang unit is having an effect, according to former gang member Manuel Carrizalez. "The gang violence is reduced. From January to July from last year -- look at the numbers, it's way down."

Carrizalez is president of Stay Focused Ministries, which has a contract to help with another part of the strategic plan. Stay Focused runs programs that aim to keep kids out of gangs in the first place.

A number of community groups and faith-based organizations are running projects as part of the "prevention" segment of the strategic plan.

According to data provided by the county, these programs are seeing results. For example, at the Stay Focused mentoring project, 100% of their kids show improved behavior, attitude, attendance and school performance. And 52% of the high-risk kids completed a 12-week gang redirect program.

At another community project, "Garden Pathways" saw 100% of their kids have increased academic performance, and 67% had improved school attendance.

From the Kern County Probation department, Their Crossroads Program for teens saw the rate of re-offending drop by 40% to 13% since the start of their segment of the gang strategic plan.

The county has also added beds for youth substance abuse treatment.

As for hard numbers from the Sheriff's gang suppression unit, the department says they made 305 arrests and seized 35 guns from this January through the first week of November.

Sheriff Youngblood said there are several thousand gang members in Kern County now, and he thinks the numbers will grow because more people are moving into the area, and kids are still being lured into gangs.

From Stay Focused, Carrizalez sees the same. But, he thinks the Sheriff's gang suppression unit is making a difference already.

"I think they're doing everything they can do. I really do," said Carrizalez. "And the reason is, I see them in the neighborhood when I'm there."

Youngblood wants the gang members to see his officers and understand violence will not be tolerated. He has a message to gang members.

"We know who the gang members are, we know who the proposed shooters are, and we're making their lives miserable, and it's going to get worse for them."

But, Sheriff Youngblood worries about impacts from the current state budget crisis. Will that cut into the funds needed to keep implementing the gang strategic plan? Youngblood wants to eventually have a total of 31 officers in the gang unit.

Still, it will be a long battle to deal with gang crime. The sheriff thinks there's progress already, and he looks forward to seeing signs that the county is winning this fight.

"When we get to the point where a gang homicide is a rarity again, when we're shocked that our youth shot another youth, or stabbed another youth -- then I'll know we're being successful."