Memphis, TN - United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant is pleased to announce that Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Boswell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Musselwhite have successfully completed and been certified as instructors of the Department of Justice Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. G.R.E.A.T. is a gang and violence prevention program built around school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curricula, intended to guide children away from delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. The program certifies instructors around the country to give interactive educational presentations and teach an approved curriculum to 4th through 8th grade students. The G.R.E.A.T. Program began in 1991 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and in 2004 the program administration was transferred from the ATF to the DOJ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
The G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (GOT) process is very rigorous, and requires a commitment of 10 hours of online training and 36 hours of classroom training. AUSAs Boswell and Musselwhite have demonstrated significant commitment to complete the program, and will now be available to represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office in classrooms across West Tennessee in order to proactively prevent youth violence through this certified program. AUSAs Boswell and Musselwhite also have the notable distinction of being the first federal prosecutors to become certified instructors of the G.R.E.A.T. program. They join certified instructors from 30 district and state attorneys’ offices in 11 states, including the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office in Memphis, as well as a strong contingent from the ATF and other law enforcement officers from the United States Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and every branch of the U.S. Military.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Having Assistant U.S. Attorneys as certified instructors of the G.R.E.A.T. program is an important part of our efforts to proactively prevent future criminal behavior and gang membership. We are proud of Beth and Jennifer for their commitment, achievement, and ground-breaking work in this important initiative, and I am confident that their leadership in the G.R.E.A.T. program will promote positive relationships between law enforcement and the community, help young people avoid delinquent behavior and bad decisions, and ultimately improve public safety in West Tennessee."
For more information about the G.R.E.A.T. program, visit: https://www.great-online.org/GREAT-Home
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
