G.R.E.A.T. JOINS D.A.R.E.

New Tactic Vs. Youth Crime

Brittany Weathersby, 10, carefully etched two sentences into her
workbook about the day's lesson.

"I learned that it's better to make good decisions than bad
decisions. I learned that D.A.R.E. stands for drugs," she said Thursday.

Drug prevention education kicked off this week in the Hinds County
School District and a program geared toward older students -
G.R.E.A.T. - will accompany the traditional D.A.R.E. program this
year.

Funded by a $90,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, the
program will focus on stopping youth crime, violence and gang-related
activity "before it starts," Hinds Deputy Bill Buck said. D.A.R.E.
focuses mostly on drugs and drug-related crime.

"We don't see that kind of inner-city stuff, but there are a lot of
wanna-bes in the area," Buck said. "And wanna-bes are gonna-bes."

G.R.E.A.T. will be split into three components, the first will start
in a few weeks at the Main Street RESTART Center.

Six family training sessions will be held at the former alternative
school for children who live on the west side of the school district.
Second semester, six sessions will be held for children on the east
side.

"Without the parents' involvement, we're fighting this kind of thing
without a key component," Principal Larry Holmes said.

Next semester, seventh-graders at Byram, Bolton-Edwards, Carver and
Utica middle schools will participate in a 13-week program that
centers on how to deal with peer pressure.

"It's more about being yourself and not having to be a part of a
'gang,'" said Capt. Henry Glaze, who is helping to coordinate the
program.

Next summer, the Sheriff's Department is partnering with the Boys and
Girls Club of Jackson. Buck said details have not been worked out yet
for this program.

The city of Vicksburg, and Harrison and Lee counties also were
awarded a grant to fund a program for school districts. Nationwide,
more than $15 million has been distributed to about 140 communities
for the program this year.

In order to receive the grant , a police or sheriff's department must
submit an application stating why the program would benefit students
in the area and how the curriculum would be taught. Then deputies and
officers undergo training to teach.

Ron Doyle, who coordinates G.R.E.A.T. nationally, was out of town
Thursday and not available for comment.

All the programs for local schools under the direction of the
Sheriff's Department hopefully will help to build relationships
between area law enforcement officers and students, Buck said.

"A lot of these kids, this is the first time they've been around a
deputy like me in a positive way - some of them only see us when
they're taking their daddy away to jail or something like that," Buck
said.

Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said the department likely would apply for
the grant again next year.

"We're looking to show these kids a different way other than violence
and crime," McMillin said. "A way out of bullying and things like
that."

For more information on the G.R.E.A.T. program nationally, visit www.
great-online.org.