G.R.E.A.T. Program - Does it work?

The goal of the G.R.E.A.T. Program is to help youth develop positive life skills that will help them avoid gang involvement and violent behavior. G.R.E.A.T. uses a communitywide approach to combat the risk factors associated with youth involvement in gang-related behaviors. The curricula were developed through the collaborative efforts of experienced law enforcement officers and specialists in criminology, sociology, psychology, education, health, and curriculum design and are designed to reinforce each other. The three (3) different curricula are intended for different audiences and are most effective when youth are exposed to more than one of the curricula. The lessons included in each curriculum are interactive and designed to allow students to practice positive behaviors that will remain with them during the remainder of their development years.


Over the 15 years since the G.R.E.A.T. Program went nationwide, many law enforcement agencies and schools from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam have implemented the program. In 2006, the G.R.E.A.T. Program was delivered in 400 communities across the United States. In order to maintain the integrity of the G.R.E.A.T. Program, it is necessary to have a strong organizational structure to regulate decisions and program or curricula changes.


The structure of the G.R.E.A.T. Program oversight organization is depicted in this one-page interactive Organizational Chart. It shows the relationship between the federal and regional partners and the local communities. Click the button below to view a PDF version of the Organizational Chart.
http://www.great-online.org/Organization/organizationchart.aspx

G.R.E.A.T. Governing Policies

The G.R.E.A.T. Program is governed by a Strategic Plan, Policy Manual, Training Procedures, and Quality Review Committee Guidelines. Each of these documents is made available below:

Strategic Plan

The G.R.E.A.T. Strategic Plan, last revised in February 2006, is a statement of the short- and long-term goals of the G.R.E.A.T. national program through 2010. It contains several overall goals and the specific objectives that must be accomplished in order for the national program to measure its success. The following button will provide the full text of this document in PDF.
http://www.great-online.org/Share/PDF/GREAT_2010_StrategicPlan.pdf

Policy Manual and Training Procedures

The G.R.E.A.T. Policy Manual and G.R.E.A.T. Training Procedures provide policy guidance and help to ensure the consistency of the program. These documents were created and are periodically updated by the National Policy Board and National Training Committee, respectively. The following buttons will provide the full text of these documents in PDF.
http://www.great-online.org/Share/PDF/GREAT_Policy_Manual.pdf
http://www.great-online.org/Share/PDF/GREAT_Training_Procedures.pdf

G.R.E.A.T. Quality Review Committee Guidelines

The G.R.E.A.T. Quality Review Committee Guidelines outline the terms and conditions of using the G.R.E.A.T. trademarked logo so that the products displaying the G.R.E.A.T. name are appropriate and of the highest quality. The following button will provide the full text of this document in PDF.
http://www.great-online.org/Share/PDF/QualityGuidelines.pdf

I would to get your thoughts on the G.R.E.A.T. Program to see if it is working, if it is not, why it does, why it doesn't etc.

Please be as honest as you can as it will only benefit us all in the end.