Frequently Asked Questions

The G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education And Training) Program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum. The program's primary objective is prevention and is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. The G.R.E.A.T. lessons focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems. G.R.E.A.T. offers a continuum of components for students and their families.

The Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program, previously administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), is now being administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice. Availability of grant funds is dependent upon annual appropriations from Congress. The application period for G.R.E.A.T. grants is usually in the late fall of each year. More information about funding and applying for G.R.E.A.T. grants can be found on BJA’s Web site: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/great.html.

Specific questions about grants should be addressed to BJA at:
Phone: (202) 514-6278
Toll-Free: (888) 549-9901
E-Mail: askbja@usdoj.gov

Two formal national evaluations of the G.R.E.A.T. Program, a cross-sectional evaluation and a five-year longitudinal evaluation, were conducted in the 1990s by researchers from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. While a significant reduction in gang membership was not noted, the program did demonstrate several positive effects. Four years after participating in the program, when compared to the control group, G.R.E.A.T. students still reported:

• Lower levels of victimization.
• More negative views about gangs.
• More favorable attitudes about law enforcement.
• Reductions in risk-seeking behaviors.
• Increased associations with peers involved in prosocial activities.

The evaluation process prompted the G.R.E.A.T. National Policy Board to order a thorough program review by a national board of experts. This review led to significant, research-based changes in the content and implementation of the curriculum, providing for greater involvement of the regular classroom teacher and more focus on active learning than lecturing. The additions of an elementary school component and family training program have also enhanced the program’s impact.

The National Institute of Justice recently commissioned a new longitudinal study of G.R.E.A.T., which formally began in the fall semester of 2006. This study will provide a more accurate and current picture of the impact of the improved curriculum and additional program components. Of course, it will be some time before any meaningful data is available from the new study.

Sworn local, state, tribal, federal and school law enforcement officers, agents, and military police are eligible to become certified G.R.E.A.T. instructors. Other criminal justice professionals—including reserve, part-time, or retired police officers; probation officers; corrections officers; judges; or prosecuting attorneys currently employed in the criminal justice system, receiving written approval from the Regional Administrator (RA) of the region—are also eligible for certification.

Please click here for a list of G.R.E.A.T. authorized vendors.

To receive G.R.E.A.T. informational materials, please contact the G.R.E.A.T. National Program Office at (800) 726-7070 or your regional G.R.E.A.T. office.

To find a summer program in your area, please contact your local G.R.E.A.T. officers at their police department or sheriff's office for more information. For assistance in locating the G.R.E.A.T. officers in your area, contact your G.R.E.A.T. Regional Administrator. What Region am I in?

Please visit the GOT training page of this Web site for basic information. If you have further questions, please contact (800) 726-7070.

There are few necessary costs associated with implementing the G.R.E.A.T. Program. One significant necessary item, the handbooks needed for each student, is provided free of cost through a federal grant. Student graduation certificates are also available at no cost. As with most projects, personnel costs are often the biggest obstacle.

Since the program is officer-instructed, an officer (or officers) must be made available to teach the program. Because taking time to be in the classroom and school setting may take the officer away from other duties, it may be necessary to add personnel or use overtime in order to cover the G.R.E.A.T. officers' responsibilities while he/she is in the classroom. Some communities have been able to avoid this by having school resource officers teach the G.R.E.A.T. Program in the school or schools to which they are already assigned. Depending upon their duty assignments, they may be able to work the classes into their existing schedules without the need for additional coverage. When necessary, additional personnel costs may be covered by certain federal grants or through state or local resources.

There are also some costs associated with getting an officer or officers trained and certified as G.R.E.A.T. instructors. The training itself is covered by a federal grant, but since it is provided regionally, there may be travel costs associated with getting an officer to the training. Training is regularly offered at our five Regional Training Centers. Complimentary lodging is provided for officers who are accepted into the training, so the only costs to the local agency are for travel to and from the site and per diem meal/incidental expenses. Training may occasionally be taken to local sites when there are 20 or more needing training in the same general locale.

Once the initial training is accomplished the basic classroom programs, whether in middle school, elementary school, or both, have almost no necessary costs and if personnel coverage is not an issue. Some agencies like to provide incentive items to boost youths' involvement and interest, such as T-shirts or G.R.E.A.T. pencils and pens. Such items are available at relatively low cost from G.R.E.A.T.-licensed vendors and are entirely optional. The more advanced elements of the program, the G.R.E.A.T. Families component and G.R.E.A.T. summer program, are likely to entail additional costs for things such as food and transportation. Again, those components are optional and are not necessary to implement the school-based curriculum. Agencies that do utilize them often do so in partnership with other community agencies, such as Boys & Girls Clubs, which helps to spread both the responsibilities and the costs.

No; the curriculum is designed to be taught once a week for 13 weeks. However, it can be taught more frequently (consecutive days or more than once a week), but research shows that teaching only once a week allows for better absorption of the materials and skills taught before moving on to the next lesson. If taught less often than weekly (twice or once a month), materials and skills may be forgotten between lessons.

The Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) name and logo are legally protected trademarks. Approval for use can be obtained only by sending an application (a form is available on the Officer Resources page of this Web site) to the G.R.E.A.T. Quality Review Committee (QRC) and receiving written approval. Please address requests to:

G.R.E.A.T. Program
ATTN: QRC
Institute for Intergovernmental Research
Post Office Box 12729
Tallahassee, FL 32317

Please visit the G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training schedule to see when trainings will take place.

To log into your G.R.E.A.T. officer account, you need to go to the Officer Resource page and type in your e-mail address or last name and corresponding password.

On this page, you will also be able to change your account information and request password help.

Having an online account will allow easier access for you to order handbooks online and update your contact information.

G.R.E.A.T. handbooks are offered free of charge to all certified G.R.E.A.T. officers. Please click here, log into your account, and fill out the order form. You will also be asked to provide reporting information about how many classes and students you have taught during the past school year.

The order form may also be downloaded, printed, and faxed by using the following link to the PDF version of this form.

Free handbooks are available in bulk only for active, certified G.R.E.A.T. officers. Others may request a sample copy by e-mailing information@great-online.org or calling (800) 726-7070.

You may request assistance by sending an e-mail to information@great-online.org. Please include your first and last name and your agency. You may also call (800) 726-7070 for assistance.

Graduation certificates are distributed by G.R.E.A.T. Regional Offices. Please download the graduation certificate order form and fax to your respective G.R.E.A.T. Regional Office.

Click here for regional information.