From 1999 through 2001, the Violence Institute collaborated with the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) on a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program. This initiative provided hands-on training and technical assistance to six demographically diverse NJ school districts - including two Abbott districts - in Cumberland, Passaic, Mercer, Monmouth, Hudson, and Union counties.

The project's purpose was to assist participating districts in improving their Title IV drug and violence prevention programming. By the project's conclusion, the districts had become well versed in identifying student needs through surveys and focus groups; as well as selecting research-based prevention programs targeted at those areas of need, and regularly evaluating programs' impact on youth behavior.

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Data Project wrapped up in Spring 2001 with two regional workshops for district representatives and community partners statewide. The workshops allowed the participating school districts to spread the word about what they had learned about data-informed planning and collaborative program development. In addition, the VINJ has compiled a SourceBook and web-searchable database of effective and promising prevention programs. Programs featured in these resources address violence and substance use among youth and adolescents.

The Violence Institute offers similar training and technical assistance in conducting surveys and focus groups, as well as in data analysis, and using data findings to inform schools' and communities' prevention planning. The VINJ is also a registered professional development provider with the New Jersey Department of Education. For more information on the VINJ's training and TA offerings, please call the Violence Institute at 732-235-5955 or the Office of Prevention Services and Research at 800-762-2989.

For more information about the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Data Project, please contact Connie Hassett-Walker at (973) 972-1719 or hassetco@umdnj.edu.