Chatham County Sheriff's Office G.R.E.A.T. 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 curricula help students develop values and practice behaviors that will help them avoid destructive activities. G.R.E.A.T. program staff coordinate project activities with federal, regional, state, and local agencies, as well as individuals from community and civic groups. The goal of the program is to train criminal justice professionals to deliver a school-based curriculum that teaches life-skills competencies, gang awareness, and violence-avoidance techniques.

Chatham County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) in collaboration with the Chatham County School System is dedicated to implementing the G.R.E.A.T. program in Chatham County, North Carolina. The CCSO goals are to prevent youth crime, violence, and gang involvement among youth; create safer schools and communities; and increase the number of students who have an opportunity to gain positive perceptions of law enforcement. Through the grant, CCSO will certify four officers as G.R.E.A.T. instructors, and teach the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum in six of their middle schools. The program will serve 490 seventh graders and 15 students in their summer program.

CA/NCF