REALITY CHECK - EVALUATING A SCHOOL-BASED GANG PREVENTION MODEL

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T) program is a sc hool-based gang prevention initiative developed in 1991 through fire c ollaborative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, thp Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; and the Phoenix Police De partment. Uniformed law enforcement officers, certified as G.R.E.A.T. instructors, teach lire 9-week curriculum to middle school students. I n 1994, the National Institute of Justice funded a national evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. program. The process evaluation component of this l arger study is reported. First, results of on-site observations of the G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training program including an overview of the the training activities, and the authors' assessment of the training proce ss are reported. Second, observations of the implementation of the pro gram by officers at six sites are reported. Of primary concern was whe ther the program delivered to students was similar to the program taug ht to the officers during the G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training.