Suffolk County Sheriff''s Office: Gang Resistance Education And Training 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 Suffolk County Sheriff's Office will utilize fiscal year 2007 Level I G.R.E.A.T. funding to implement the middle school component and local after school programs in Bellport, Brentwood South, and Central Islip Middle Schools. School administrators and local law enforcement identified the locations as areas with active gang activity that is higher than other communities within the county. In order to reduce the precursor attitudes and behaviors associated with youth crime, violence, and gang involvement, attempts to steer program participants to positive activities, to include sports and school clubs, will also be made. It is estimated that a total of 3,200 youth will participate in the program during the specified project period.

CA/NCF