Probation Gang Supervision Unit - 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.

The County of San Bernardino will use its grant award to implement elementary and middle school, summer, and family G.R.E.A.T. components through primary prevention, secondary prevention/intervention and tertiary intervention. Primary prevention focuses on the 18,361 students in 4th through 7th grades who are at risk, because they reside in the City of San Bernardino. Secondary prevention/intervention targets those youth who have been or will be identified through school site evaluations and observations as being at greater risk of becoming delinquent. Tertiary intervention is designed for youth already actively involved in gangs and is provided by the Probation Department. Funds will be used to support two additional G.R.E.A.T. officer positions. It is anticipated that during the grant period, approximately 2,500 youth and their families in the City of San Bernardino will benefit from the G.R.E.A.T. program.

CA/NCF