FY 2008 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.

The Glendale Police Department will use its FY 2008 G.R.E.A.T. grant to implement the elementary school, middle school, families, and summer components in 24 schools located in low-income and high-risk areas of the city experiencing gang problems. Six certified G.R.E.A.T. officers will teach the elementary component to approximately 2,196 fourth grade students. The middle school component will be taught to approximately 2,205 sixth and seventh grade students. The Glendale Police Department is expecting a 90 percent graduation rate for each class.

The summer component will be conducted with 150 students during two, two-week summer classes. School teachers and administrators will recommend at-risk children for the summer component, which should provide the children with an alternative to idleness and criminal activity. Educational classes, field trips, and guest speakers will be used to reinforce lessons taught during the elementary and middle school components.

The Glendale Police Department plans to target at-risk families for participation in the families component. They tentatively plan to conduct two family session groups with 10 participants in each group, totaling 20 participants. Two middle schools and one high school will recommend students for participation in the families component. The goal will be to bring youth and their parents together so youth can experience success in school and be successful as a family unit.

CA/NCF