G.R.E.A.T. Follow-up Study
The G.R.E.A.T. Follow-up Study is designed to test the long-term effectiveness of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program.
The G.R.E.A.T. Program was established in the 1990s as a proactive response to combating youth violence and gang activity. The program was designed to engage 6th and 7th graders through school-based curriculum taught by local law enforcement officers.
The team of researchers conducting this follow-up study are working with nearly 4,000 adults who participated in the G.R.E.A.T. evaluation as children between 2006 and 2011 while living in various urban environments across the United States. This includes cities such as Albuquerque, NM; Chicago, IL; Greeley, CO; Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth TX.
The objective of the G.R.E.A.T. Follow-up Study is threefold.
- Identify any long-lasting effects of the program on such things as gang membership and attitudes towards law enforcement.
- To examine the impact of positive and negative life events on the transition to adulthood.
- To understand whether experiences in adolescence have lasting effects into adulthood.
Were you involved in the original G.R.E.A.T. evaluation?
If you previously participated in the G.R.E.A.T. program, we ask that you help us by completing a follow-up survey. As a token of our gratitude, each participant who completes the survey will receive $50 for their time.
Please be assured that your participation is entirely voluntary and strictly confidential. Your confidentiality is ensured by a privacy certificate backed by the United States Department of Justice. Any and all data collected in this study will be used strictly for research or statistical purposes and will not be disclosed outside the research team. If you want to see a sample of the types of research products that have come from this project, please see the “Research and Publications” tab on this webpage.
If you have any questions about the G.R.E.A.T. follow-up study, please contact the project lead Dr. Chris Melde.
Per National Institute of Justice (NIJ) guidance, all data related to this review will only be used for research or statistical purposes.