Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: A Comprehensive Overview

Introduction

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program is a school-based curriculum facilitated by law enforcement officers. It is a prevention-oriented initiative intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. The program aims to provide life skills to students, helping them avoid delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems.

Origins and Development

GREAT originated through a combined effort of the ATF and the Phoenix Police Department in Phoenix, Arizona. The program initially began as a nine-lesson middle-school curriculum. In early 1992, the first GREAT Officer Program was conducted in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1993, due to its perceived success, the program was expanded nationwide.

Program Components

The G.R.E.A.T. program consists of four components:

Middle School Curriculum: This is the core, required portion of the program.
Elementary School Curriculum: Designed for younger students.
Summer Program: Extends the lessons learned during the school year.
Families Training Component: Involves families in the prevention effort.

Middle School Curriculum: A Detailed Look

The G.R.E.A.T. middle school curriculum was designed for students in 6th or 7th grade. The curriculum has integrated National English Language Arts Standards and National Health Education Standards. In 2000, the program underwent a curriculum review, which was the result of a study conducted by the National Institute of Justice. The original program went to 13 lessons.

The middle school curriculum seeks to reduce gang activity, delinquent behavior, and violence by teaching students the consequences of gang involvement and by teaching them life skills and problem-solving techniques. G.R.E.A.T. lessons focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems. In addition to educating students about the dangers of gang involvement, the lesson content places considerable emphasis on cognitive-behavioral training, social skills development, refusal skills training, and conflict resolution. Thus, the curriculum aims to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors.

Examples of lesson topics include:

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
Keeping Your Cool
Working It Out-consequences for fighting
Looking Back-program review
“Making My School a G.R.E.A.T. Place”

G.R.E.A.T. Officers and Training

Officers will be under the supervision of the G.R.E.A.T. supervisor. Major disciplinary problems may result in the non-certification of the officer. Since its inception in 1991, more than 12,000 law enforcement officers have been certified as G.R.E.A.T. instructors.

National Evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program

In 2006, following a competitive peer review process, the National Institute of Justice awarded the University of Missouri-St. Louis funding to conduct the National Evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program. The evaluation follows more than 3,800 students in seven cities across the United States through six waves of data collection.

From 2006 to 2012, a multi-site program evaluation was conducted. Approximately 4,000 students attending 31 schools in seven cities comprised the initial sample. 195 classrooms (102 received G.R.E.A.T. and 93 did not receive the program) during the 2006-2007 school year.

Evaluation Results and Outcomes

Several studies have been completed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Preliminary results from a seven-city experimental evaluation of the revised G.R.E.A.T. Program (one-year post-treatment) are positive overall. The program appears to have short-term effects on the intended goals of reducing gang involvement (but not general delinquency) and improving youth-police relations (more positive attitudes about police), as well as on interim risk or skills. Specifically, compared with non-G.R.E.A.T. students, the G.R.E.A.T.

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The results of one such study indicate that four years after program completion, students who had been assigned to G.R.E.A.T. reported more positive social attitudes and behaviors on 25 of the 29 outcome measures (5 of the measures were significant at the .05 level). Students in the G.R.E.A.T. program reported lower levels of risk-seeking and victimization, more positive attitudes toward police, more negative attitudes toward gangs, and more friends involved in prosocial activities than students in the control group.

There were 28 attitudinal or perceptual measures that address potential outcomes of the G.R.E.A.T. program that were examined. The differences in rates of delinquency are 7% lower for G.R.E.A.T. students, and violent offences are 10% lower for G.R.E.A.T. The investigators concluded: “Our multi-component evaluation found that the G.R.E.A.T. Program is implemented as it is intended and has the intended program effects on youth gang membership and on a number of risk factors and social skills thought to be associated with gang membership.

National Reach and Impact

Nashville joins police departments in 47 other states who now provide the GREAT program to students in schools ranging from the 4th through the 8th grade. Over the past five years over two million children have been exposed to GREAT training. More than 6 million students have graduated from the G.R.E.A.T.

Partnerships and Collaborations

GREAT originated as a partnership between the Police Department, City of Phoenix, Arizona and the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco tax and Firearms. ATF partners with the private sector, academia, and local, state, and other federal law enforcement organizations to provide a variety of community outreach programs as part of the agency’s strategic approach to reducing violent crimes.

ATF is integral part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Launched in 2001, PSN is a law enforcement program that assists community organizations with combatting violent gun crimes. ATF continues to partner with the Department of Homeland Security on this strategic initiative. ATF has partnered with the firearms industry trade association, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), on the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy campaign since 2000.

G.R.E.A.T. Program in Central America

The U.S. Department of State has awarded CARA, the Central American Research Alliance, a $2 million grant to evaluate the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program in El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica. Together with Florida International University and the University of Central America in El Salvador, CARA will work closely with students, parents, youth and police to evaluate the effectiveness of the GREAT program and make recommendations for future implementation of the program in the region.

The GREAT program aims to mitigate risk factors through a school-based intervention program. GREAT is implemented by preventive police officers to educate students on the risks associated with delinquency and to develop channels of communication with youth. To evaluate the program, the research team will measure GREAT’s resulting outputs and outcomes, through scientifically validated evaluation methods.

Community-Based Initiatives

Since 2004, ATF has engaged in public-private partnerships with nonprofits such as the Boys and Girls Club of America, the Law Enforcement Exploring Organization, the Lighthouse Foundation of Philadelphia, PA and the Salvation Army - Kroc Center of Philadelphia, PA. Our combined efforts help support communities in need and provide youth with life skills to help them avoid negative influences, avoid negative peer pressure, and set and achieve goals.

Additional Programs and Initiatives

ATF launched the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program (G.R.E.A.T.) as an anti-gang, delinquency deterrent, and anti-bullying prevention community outreach program for middle and elementary school children. Students in the G.R.E.A.T. program participate in year-round interactive educational programs and summer camps that teach gang activity-resistant behaviors such as conflict management, decision making, and effective communications skills.

Anacostia High School provides a unique career-and college-preparatory education built upon the belief that our students are stewards of their community and active contributors to the revitalization of both their neighborhood and the world at large through sustainable innovation. Anacostia currently has a mentoring program for the young men (The Dream Team and Cutz & Conversation) but not the young women. ATF has developed a similar mentorship program for the young women covering topics from social media use, attire, interviewing skills and examining the relationships between the community and law enforcement.

G.R.E.A.T. in Popular Culture

In the 1990s, GREAT had a message that appeared in arcade games with an emblem that read "GREAT LIFE: A Most Excellent Adventure Without GANGS" with the "GANGS" part in a crossed-out circle.

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