Gang Resistance Education and Training - Recent Program Evaluation

Recent Program Evaluation

In 2010, a Multi-site program evaluation was conducted. So far, only a draft of the results have been published.

Approximately 4,000 students attending 31 schools in seven cities compromised 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.

Albuquerque, NM; Chicago, IL; a Dallas-Fort Worth area district; Greeley, CO; Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; and Portland, OR

195 classrooms (102 received G.R.E.A.T. and 93 did not receive the program), and 4,905 students during the 2006-2007 school year.

Site selection was driven by the presence of the G.R.E.A.T. program and willingness of the police departments and school districts to agree to the evaluation design. In addition, three main criteria guided site selection: 1)existence of an established G.R.E.A.T. programs 2) geographic and demographic diversity 3) evidence of gang activity

All students for whom active parental consent was obtained were then asked to participate in the evaluation by completing a confidential group-administered pre-test questionnaire. Upon completion of the G.R.E.A.T. program in each school, students were then requested to complete post-tests and four annual follow-up surveys. Survey questions reflected the three main goals of G.R.E.A.T.

There were 28 attitudinal or perceptual measures that address potential outcomes of the G.R.E.A.T. program that were examined. For a complete list of these 28 measures please go to http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/GREAT-Evaluation-Draft-Dec-2010.pdf

Program effect on five behavioral outcomes were examined:

1. delinquency variety 2. delinquency frequency 3. violent offending variety 4. violent offending frequency 5. gang membership

THE RESULTS:

Specifically, the G.R.E.A.T. students compared to non-G.R.E.A.T. students reported: - More positive attitudes to police - More positive attitudes about police in classrooms - Less positive attitudes about gangs - More use of refusal skills - More resistance to peer pressure - Higher collective efficacy - Less use of hitting neutralizations - Fewer associations with delinquent peers - Less self-centeredness - Less anger - Lower rates of gang membership

There were no statistically significant differences between the groups on 15 of the attitudinal measures: empathy, impulsivity, risk-seeking, pro-social peers, negative peer commitment, positive peer commitment, neutralization for theft, guilt, conflict resolution, calming others, active listening, problem solving, self-efficacy, awareness of services, and altruism.

Differences in rates of delinquency (while 7% lower for G.R.E.A.T. students) and violent offending (10% lower for G.R.E.A.T. students) were also not statistically significant.

HOWEVER: the G.R.E.A.T. students had significantly lower odds of belonging to a gang.

Results from analyses of three waves of survey data collected from students in seven U.S. public school districts indicate that the program is meeting its primary objective of preventing gang membership; the analyses indicate a 54 percent reduction in the odds of gang joining one year post-program.

For further detail of this study, please visit to read the program evaluation.