2006 GREAT Program

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program is a life-skills competency program designed to provide students with the skills they need to avoid gang pressure and youth violence. G.R.E.A.T.'s violence prevention curriculum helps students develop values and practice behaviors that will assist them to avoid destructive activities. The G.R.E.A.T. program coordinates with federal, regional, state and local agencies, as well as individuals from community and civic groups. The goal of the G.R.E.A.T. program is to train law enforcement officers in a school-based curriculum in which the officers provide instruction to school-aged children in life skill competencies, gang awareness, and anti-violence techniques. Training in the core G.R.E.A.T. program is provided to officers from any state or local law enforcement agency.

Pike Township is an urban residential community in the Greater Indianapolis area in the northwest corner of Marion County. In 2005 alone, the number of disturbance, battery, and verified gang activity reports taken by police on school property more than doubled. Pike Township's School Police are experiencing a notable lack of respect for authority, increased fighting, truancy, school suspensions, and the visual presence of turf marking gang graffiti, which serve as indicators that deterrence-based programs are needed to intervene and eliminate the thriving gang environment. FY 2006 G.R.E.A.T funds will allow the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township to hire a Latino officer in March of 2006. This officer will be G.R.E.A.T. certified and serve as a liaison between the Hispanic community and the school police through meeting the needs of this growing population by bridging language and cultural barriers. The G.R.E.A.T. Families component will be added to increase the number of G.R.E.A.T. programs offered by the Pike School Police to three. Preliminary stages are being set to conduct two G.R.E.A.T. Families training sessions during the upcoming academic school year with emphasis being given to the Hispanic community. FY 2006 G.R.E.A.T. program will continue in conjunction with a variety of needs-based programs already established by the school district, which will reduce the effects of youth violence and bridge the gap of services lacking in the community.

CA/NCF