Everett Police GREAT Initiative

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 coordinates 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 City of Everett will use the FY 2010 Bureau of Justice Assistance Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program funds to support elementary, middle school, families, and summer components. The three elements will be targeted to youth throughout the calendar year: the Middle school and Families program when school is in session, and the summer program components during the months of July and August. The selected programs and activities include: the G.R.E.A.T. training for sixth graders, parent classes, basketball tournament, dance class, and a health/wellness class.

Each program will engage the youth and their families in prevention components designed to be effective in reducing the likelihood and/or influence of gang activity. All students in the 6th grade at the five public schools will participate in the 13-week G.R.E.A.T curriculum. This will allow for maximum exposure in the student population and create opportunities for the police to have a positive impact with pre-teens through the establishment of positive relationships and introducing prevention knowledge. The process to select youth and parents for the Summer and Families programs will include a combination of recommendations, referrals from the school guidance department, class masters, school resource officers, teachers, juvenile probation, medical and mental health providers, and others recognizing the need for the youth to be engaged in structured prevention activities. Youth will have the opportunity to voluntary select to participate in the non-school year programs, youth leaders selected to work with adult coordinators and police will be recommended by school, police and other professionals.

The proposal goals include: 1) prevention of youth crime, violence and gang involvement; 2) creating safer schools and communities; 3) building positive relationships among law enforcement, families and youth; and 4) strengthening families with youth ages 10 to 14. The objectives include: a) Increase the percentage of middle school program participants who demonstrate increased negative views about gangs to 90 percent by 2010. b) Increase the number of middle school youth who demonstrate increased negative views about gangs. c) Increase the number of middle school youth who report they have resolved conflict non-violently since the beginning of the program. d) Increase the number of school-aged children who graduate from the G.R.E.A.T. Program.

CA/NCF