Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T) program within the City of Niagara Falls school system.

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 City of Niagara Falls, through the Niagara Falls Police Department, will utilize fiscal year 2007 Level I G.R.E.A.T. funding to implement the middle school and elementary components. Records indicated violent crime committed by youth and the number of juvenile-police contacts within the Niagara Falls area continues to rise, and it is believed that this increase is a direct result of drug activity and gang involvement. Implementation of the G.R.E.A.T. program will help students become responsible members of their communities by teaching them to set goals, resist pressures, learn conflict resolution, and understand the negative impact of gangs. By preventing youth crime, violence, and gang involvements through positive relationships between youth, law enforcement, families, and their peers, safer communities and schools will be created.

CA/NCF