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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: EDU513 - Gangs in Schools

Course Title:	EDU513 - Gangs in Schools
Department:	School of Education
Instructor:	Ed Piper, MS, BA, AA E-Mail - Vita
Credits:	4 Postgraduate Semester Credits
Tuition:	$300
Note:	Read about the EDU524 School Security Certificate Program

Course Description

This course provides the student with a comprehensive examination of the problems associated with gangs in the communities and in our schools. It also examines promising intervention and prevention strategies for school administrators, public safety officials, teachers and security personnel.

Course Objectives

1. To examine gang activity in the United States.
2. To analyze the relationship between gang activity in the community and in our schools.
3. To familiarize students with promising gang intervention strategies for our schools.
4. To understand the foundation and application of the GREAT Model in our nation’s schools.

Required Texts  Online Bookstore

None

Websites or PDF Files to Visit or Read:

2005 National Gang Assessment, National Alliance of Gangs Investigators Association, PDF file

Gang Problems and Gangs in Schools, Gottfredson and Associates, Inc. 2001, Department of Justice Grant #98 JN FX-004 PDF File

http://www.great-online.org GREAT PROGRAM

Written Assignments

This introductory course requires extensive reading of a two extensive studies of the gang problem in the U.S. and promising gang intervention programs in our nation schools. Finally, it requires a review of a very promising gang prevention program for schools called GREAT. For that reason, assignments will be limited to answering weekly questions and emailing your responses to the instructor at the end of each week. Your responses must include page numbers from the text that support your answer. The responses to each question each week are valued at 5 points each.

2 points will be subtracted for each incident of: sloppiness, poor grammar, poor spelling and poor punctuation. Late papers receive a grade of zero.

Total For Course: 100 Points

I will determine your final grade based on the total number of points you have accumulated at the end of the semester. I do not award letter grades for each paper or exam. Your grade will be determined as follows:

90 - 100 points	A
75 - 89 points	B
60 - 74 points	C
55 - 59 points	D
below 55 points	F

Student Assignments/Activities

Assignments: Read the assigned readings and email your answers to the instructor each week. Your responses should be in short essay format and no more than 1 page double spaced. The first five weeks readings will focus on reading 2005 National Gang Assessment, National Alliance of Gangs Investigators Association, PDF file.

There will be 10 questions valued at 5 points each.

The second five weeks will focus on school interventions and a basic review of the Gang Problems and Gangs in Schools, Gottfredson and Associates, Inc. 2001, Department of Justice Grant #98 JN FX-004 PDF File.

Also review the following website to develop a basic understanding of the highly successful GREAT Program.

http://www.great-online.org GREAT PROGRAM

There will be 10 questions valued at 5 points each.

There will be a combined total from both sections of 20 questions for a possible 100 points.

Week 1:

Q1: Why do gangs serve as the primary distributor of drugs throughout the U.S?
Q2: How do gangs develop relationships with organized crime and what sorts of illegal activities do they pursue?

Week 2:

Q3: What are the dangers associated with gang members increased use of technology and computers?
Q4: How would an alliance between gangs and terrorist groups pose a major threat to U.S. national security?

Week 3:

Q5: What are the biggest concerns about gang activities in prisons?
Q6: What are the reasons for the rise in Hispanic gang membership?

Week 4:

Q7: What is causing the increase in California style Gang culture across the U.S.?
Q8: Why are Indian Reservations experiencing an increase in gang activities?

Week 5:

Q9: Do you think outlawed motorcycle gangs pose a threat to schools? Why or why not?
Q10: Why do communities refuse to admit there is a gang problem in their area? How does this denial endanger students in schools?

Please complete your readings of the following to answer the final ten questions for the course.

Gang Problems and Gangs in Schools, Gottfredson and Associates, Inc. 2001, Department of Justice Grant #98 JN FX-004 PDF File

http://www.great-online.org GREAT PROGRAM

Week 6:

Q11: What factors do we take in to account for walk through metal detectors?
Q12: What can affect the performance of metal detector?

Week 7:

Q13: How can predict an individual’s likelihood to participate in a gang?
Q14: Describe the relationship between gang involvement in the community and gang involvement in schools?

Week 8:

Q15: Describe the different types of gang prevention programs? What are the pros and cons of each program?
Q16: Which gang prevention programs appear to be working?

Week 9:

Q17: Go to the GREAT website: What are the elements of the GREAT program?
Q18: What are the major risk factors for gang membership?

Week 10:

Q19: How would you establish a GREAT program at your school?
Q20: Provide a copy of the email you would send to your local law enforcement agency explaining your reasons for wanting a GREAT program at your school.

About Your Instructor:

Ed Piper has over 30 years of experience in intelligence, law enforcement, security, education, training and consulting. He designed the first college credit course in terrorism in Washington D.C. back in 1984 and has taught security at George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University (active), Webster University Graduate School, Norwich University and a number of other colleges. He has served as Chief of Security at Harford Community College; Head of Security, Anne Arundel Public Schools and is currently Director of Security and Emergency Planning at Georgetown University’s Law Center. He also serves as President and CEO of Homeland Security Consultants, Inc.