Gang Resistance Education and Training (16.737)

 

Program

16.737 Gang Resistance Education and Training

 

Federal Agency

BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

 

Authorization

The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2004, Public Law 108-109.

 

Program Number

16.737

 

Last Known Status

Active

 

Objectives

To help prevent youth crime, violence and gang association while developing a positive relationship among law enforcement, families, and our young people, to create safer communities.

 

Types of Assistance

Project Grants.

 

Uses and Use Restrictions

Law enforcement agencies can only use the funds provided to administer the G.R.E.A.T. Program. This includes providing G.R.E.A.T. training for law enforcement officers and the purchasing of materials and supplies for the implementation and ongoing operation of the program.

 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

All State, county, tribal and municipal units of general purpose government and law enforcement agencies and other special purpose law enforcement agencies (i.e., independent school districts) in the United States and U.S. Territories.

Beneficiary Eligibility

All State, county, tribal and municipal governments, law enforcement agencies and schools in the United States and U.S. Territories.

Credentials/Documentation

Jurisdiction or agency head must enter into the award agreement with the Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

 

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

Applications are submitted by the Chief Executive Officer of a jurisdiction, or formal designee or law enforcement agency head, via the Internet-based Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Grants Management System (GMS) at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. On-line submission of an application represents legal binding acceptance of the terms of the application. For further information about the OJP GMS, call the OJP GMS Hotline at 1-888-549-9901; or access the BJA home page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA. For general information about the G.R.E.A.T. Program, contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770.

Award Procedure

Awards are issued by the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs via the Internet-based Grants Management System (GMS). Grantees will be notified of the availability of the award via e-mail. The award must be accepted by the jurisdiction or agency head, with assurance of compliance with standard and special conditions of the grant award. To accept the award, grantees must print the award document from the GMS. The award must be accepted (signed) by applicant jurisdiction or agency head or his/her official designee and faxed to the Office of the Comptroller Control Desk.

Deadlines

Applications must be received on or before each fiscal year's posted deadline. Application period dates are always posted on the Bureau of Justice Assistance web page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA.

 

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

All applicants must apply, annually, for funds.

 

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

There are no matching requirements for this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Grant awards are issued for 12 or 18 months. Grantees may request extensions, not to exceed 12 additional months.

 

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Applicants are required to submit a quarterly Financial Status reports and semi-annual Categorical Assistance Progress Report.

Audits

Program/project reviews will be conducted by Department of Justice personnel, as needed, to ensure correct usage of funds and compliance with program requirements.

Records

Agencies are required to maintain a system of standardized records for inspection or disclosure.

 

Program Accomplishments

As of July 29, 2004, 7,027 officers from 5,485 agencies, representing 50 States, D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, and military personnel from overseas bases have been trained to present the core curriculum in elementary and middle school classrooms. Almost 3.9 million children have been trained with the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum. For fiscal year 2002, more than 364,000 and in fiscal year 2003 nearly 307,000 children received G.R.E.A.T. certificates for completing the program.

 

Financial Information

Account Identification

15-0405-0-1-754.

Obligations

FY 04 $14,543,307; FY 05 est $24,666,080; and FY 06 est $0.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

The range of individual agency assistance in prior years $3,500 to $500,000. Award amounts vary depending on amount of G.R.E.A.T. funding appropriated, annually, by Congress.

 

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Funding guidelines and criteria are published annually in the National Federal Register. Information on the program can be obtained by contacting the G.R.E.A.T. Program Headquarters office. A cross-sectional evaluation of the program can be found in the National Institute of Justice Research in Brief, November 1997 issue, "National Evaluation of G.R.E.A.T." by Finn- Aage Esbensen and D. Wayne Osgood.

 

Related Programs

None.

 

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

The G.R.E.A.T. Program currently has five regional offices that are each run by a local law enforcement agency. The offices and contacts are: Southeast Region, Lieutenant Brett Meade, Orange County Sheriff's Office, 2500 W. Colonial Drive - 2nd Flr., Orlando, Florida 32804, 407-254-7369; Northeast Region, Sergeant Steve Naughton, Philadelphia Police Department, Community Relations Division, 1328 Race Street - 2nd Flr., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, 215-686-1477; Midwest Region, Lieutenant Raj Ramnarace, La Crosse Police Department, 400 La Crosse Street, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601, 608-789-8202; Southwest Region, Sergeant Wayne Bensfield, Phoenix Police Department, 620 West Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85003, 602-495-0432; Northwest Region, Sergeant George Weatheroy, Portland Police Bureau, 449 NE Emerson, Portland, Oregon 97211, 503-823-2111.

Headquarters Office

Contact Linda Hammond-Deckard, Bureau of Justice Assistance - Policy Office; 810 Seventh Street, NW; 4th Floor; Washington, DC 20531 Telephone: (202)616-6500.

Web Site Address

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/great.html

 

Examples of Funded Projects

The City of Sylvester, GA Police Department will engage more then 1,000 students in the classroom and provide them with the G.R.E.A.T. core curriculum. The funds will also allow the Sylvester, GA Police Department to sponsor a Summer G.R.E.A.T. program for at-risk youth. The City of Flagstaff Police Department will operate its 6th annual G.R.E.A.T. Summer Camp, involving more than 80 youth.

 

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applicants are evaluated on a variety of criteria in order to determine funding, including: the number of children to which the applicant teaches the G.R.E.A.T. Program, other programs applicants have in place that could reinforce the program goals and the applicant's participation in the national administration of the program are all taken into consideration. Additional considerations include community population size, scope of gang-related issues in the community, and applicant's past performance. During each funding period due consideration will be given to funding new applicants, whose applications meet the program criteria.