Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2007, $150,000)
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 Chicago Police Department will use these grant funds to teach the G.R.E.A.T Program in elementary school (more than 7,100 students in the 3rd and 4th grade) and middle school (nearly 7,000 students in the 7th and 8th grade) and to continue the implementation of the summer (500 children) and family (50 families) components. The Program is coordinated by CPD's Preventive Programs and Neighborhood Relations Division (PPNRD) that is supervised and monitored by CPD's First Deputy Superintendent. The Program is supervised by a full-time Sergeant, supported by a full-time light-duty administrative officer, and managed and monitored by a civilian CPD Grant Research Specialist with more than 30 years of experience in public safety and gang issues. The PPNRD coordinates the G.R.E.A.T. Program with its Project Safe Neighborhoods, Weed and Seed, and Youth Forums Program. The G.R.E.A.T. Program receives food and groceries from local supermarkets and restaurants and office/recreational space from the Chicago Park District, Chicago Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and YWCA, faith-based organizations, and the Chicago Public Schools. The CPD uses performance measures for its evaluation activities and is working with national G.R.E.A.T. program evaluators from Northeastern University to measure the impact of the program.
CA/NCF