(03/01/06) TRENTON ? Lawmakers in Trenton and Newark are pushing for the creation of a special court designed to solely deal with gun crimes.

State Senator Shirley Turner (D-Mercer County) is co-sponsoring a bill that would create a gun court pilot program in Trenton and Newark. According to Turner, those arrested for gun crimes often wait six months to be prosecuted. Turner says the delay is the result of a large number of gun crime cases in the court system.

The senator believes the new court will bring gun criminals to justice faster. As a result, crooks won?t be allowed out on bail for long periods of time to commit more crimes. Turner hopes the bill will be taken up sometime this month.