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G.R.E.A.T. Evaluation

In 2006, following a competitive peer review process, the National Institute of Justice awarded the University of Missouri - St. Louis funding to conduct the National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program. The evaluation followed over 3,800 students in seven cities across the United States through six waves of data collection. The program evaluation began in 2006 and concluded in 2012.

Evaluation Components:

  1. Annual student surveys
  2. Classroom observations
  3. Surveys of teachers and administrators
  4. Surveys of law enforcement officers
  5. Interviews with G.R.E.A.T. officers and G.R.E.A.T. supervisors
  6. Observations of G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (G.O.T.)
  7. Observations of G.R.E.A.T. Family sessions.
Principal Investigator: Finn Esbensen, Ph.D Univ. of Missouri-St. Louis
Co-Investigators: D. Wayne Osgood, Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University
  Dana Peterson, Ph.D. University at Albany
Terrance J. Taylor, Ph.D. Univ. of Missouri-St. Louis
Site Managers: Dena Carson, Ph.D. Univ. of Missouri-St. Louis
Adrienne Freng, Ph.D. University of Wyoming
Kristy N. Matsuda, Ph.D. Univ. of Missouri-St. Louis

Research Assistants:

Mikh Gunderman Sergio Olivares
Laura Hastings Saundra Trujillo
Kristyn McCord Mike Vecchio
Jeaneé Miller Christina Watson
Hyon Namgung Stephanie Wiley

Publications

Dena C. Carson, Dana Peterson, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. Forthcoming. "Youth Gang Desistance: An examination of different operational definitions of desistance on the motivations, methods, and consequences associated with leaving the gang." Criminal Justice Review.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, D. Wayne Osgood, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, and Dena C. Carson. 2013. "Short and Long Term Outcome Results from a Multi-site Evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program." Criminology and Public Policy.

Chris Melde and Finn-Aage Esbensen. Forthcoming. "The Relative Impact of Gang Status Transitions: Identifying the mechanisms of change in delinquency." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency.

Stephanie A. Wiley and Finn-Aage Esbensen. Forthcoming. "The Effect of Police Contact: Does Official Intervention Result in Deviance Amplification." Crime & Delinquency.

Dena C. Carson and Finn-Aage Esbensen. Forthcoming. "The Mediating Effects of Delinquent Attitudes on Race, Race Heterogeneity, and Violent Offending." Journal of Crime and Justice.

Dana Peterson and Kirstin Morgan. 2013. "Sex Differences and the Overlap in Youths’ Risk Factors for Onset of Violence and Gang Involvement." Journal of Crime and Justice (online, DOI:10.1080/0735648X.2013.830393)

Finn-Aage Esbensen and L. Thomas Winfree, Jr. 2013. "Motivations for Gang Joining: Does context matter?" In Klaus Boers, Thomas Feltes, Joerg Kinzig, Lawrence W. Sherman, Franz Streng, and Gerson Trueg (Eds.) Criminology, Crime Policy, and Penal Law: Festschrift for Hans-Juergen Kerner on the Occasion of his 70th Birthday. Tuebingen, Germany: Mohr Publishing.

Stephanie A Wiley, Lee Ann Slocum, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. 2013. "The Unintended Consequences of Being Stopped or Arrested: An exploration of the labeling mechanisms through which police contact leads to subsequent delinquency." Criminology 51.

Dena C. Carson, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and T.J. Taylor. 2013. "A Longitudinal Analysis of the Relationship between School Victimization and Student Mobility." Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice 11:275-295.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, and D. Wayne Osgood. 2013. "Is G.R.E.A.T Effective? Program Implementation Quality and Results from the National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program." In Cheryl L. Maxson, Jody Miller, Malcolm Klein, and Arlen Egley (Eds.) The Modern Gang Reader, 4th edition. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dena C. Carson. 2013. "Perceptions of Prosocial and Delinquent Peer Behavior and the Effect on Delinquent Attitudes: A Longitudinal Study." Journal of Criminal Justice 41, 151-161.

Kristy Matsuda, Chris Melde, Adrienne Freng, TJ Taylor & Finn-Aage Esbensen. 2013. "Gang Membership and Adherence to the ‘Code of the Streets.’" Justice Quarterly 30:440-468.

Chris Melde and Finn-Aage Esbensen. 2013. "Gangs and Violence: Disentangling the Impact of Gang Membership on the Levels and Nature of Offending." Journal of Quantitative Criminology 29:143-166.

Finn-Aage Esbensen and Dena C. Carson. 2012. "Who Are the Gangsters?: An examination of the age, race/ethnicity, and sex of self-reported gang members in a seven city study of American youth." Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice 28:462-478.

Dana Peterson and Finn-Aage Esbensen. 2012. "Preventing Youth Gang Involvement with G.R.E.A.T." Pp. 569-578 in The Handbook of School Violence and School Safety: International Research and Practice, 2nd Ed., edited by Shane R. Jimerson, Amanda B. Nickerson, Matthew J. Mayer, & Michael J. Furlong. New York: Routledge.

Dana Peterson and Dena C. Carson. 2012. "The Sex Composition of Groups and Youth’s Delinquency: A comparison of gang and non-gang peer groups." In F.-A. Esbensen and C.L. Maxson (eds.) Youth Gangs in International Perspective: Tales from the Eurogang Program of Research. New York, NY: Springer.

Dana Peterson. 2012. "Girlfriends, Gun-holders, and Ghetto-rats? Moving Beyond Narrow Views of Girls in Gangs." Pp. 71-84 in Delinquent Girls: Contexts, Relationships, and Adaptation, edited by Shari Miller, Leslie D. Leve, and Patricia K. Kerig. New York: Springer.

Kristy N. Matsuda, Chris Melde, Terrance J. Taylor, Adrienne Freng, & Finn-Aage Esbensen. 2012. Gang Membership and Adherence to the "Code of the Street". Justice Quarterly. Online First. doi:10.1080/07418825.2012.684432

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, & D. Wayne Osgood. 2012. Results from a Multi-Site Evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. ProgramJustice Quarterly 29(1): 125-151.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, Adrienne Freng, D. Wayne Osgood, Dena C. Carson, and Kristy N. Matsuda. 2011. Evaluation and Evolution of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. Journal of School Violence 10(1): 53-70

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Kristy N. Matsuda, Terrance J. Taylor, and Dana Peterson. 2011. Multimethod Strategy for Assessing Program Fidelity: The National Evaluation of the Revised G.R.E.A.T. Program. Evaluation Review. Online First. doi:10.1177/0193841X10388126

Terrance J. Taylor, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Bradley T. Brick, and Adrienne Freng. 2010. Exploring the Measurement Quality of an Attitudinal Scale of Street Code-Related Violence: Similarities and Differences Across Groups and Contexts. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice 8(3): 187-212.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Chris Melde, Terrance J. Taylor, and Dana Peterson. 2008. Active Parental Consent in School-Based Research: How Much is Enough and How Do We Get It? Evaluation Review 32: 335-362.

Reports

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, and D. Wayne Osgood. 2012. Is G.R.E.A.T. effective? Does the program prevent gang joining? Results from the National Evaluation of G.R.E.A.T. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Kristy N. Matsuda, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, and Terrance J. Taylor. 2010. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: 2010 Report to Schools and Communities:School Safety and Victimization. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, and Terrance J. Taylor. 2009. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: 2009 Report to Schools and Communities: Program Implementation Quality and Preliminary Outcome Results. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Krystle M. Leugoud, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Bradley T. Brick, and Terrance J. Taylor. 2009. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: Observing the Implementer: Description of Findings, Recommendations, and Conclusions from G.R.E.A.T. Program Implementation Observations. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Dana Peterson, Vanessa R. Panfil, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Terrance J. Taylor. 2009. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: School Personnel Survey Report. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Terrance J. Taylor, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Dana Peterson. 2009. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (G.O.T.) Report. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Dena C. Carson, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Terrance J. Taylor, and Dana Peterson. 2008. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: Results from Surveys and Interviews with G.R.E.A.T.-Trained Officers. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, Vanessa R. Panfil, and Bradley T. Brick. 2008. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: 2008 Report to Schools and Communities: Anti-Social Norms among a Sample of Middle-School Students. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Terrance J. Taylor, Bradley T. Brick, and Dana Peterson. 2007. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: 2007 Report to Schools and Communities. St. Louis, MO: University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Dissertations

Stephanie A. Wiley. "The Amplification of Deviance Following Police Contact: An Examination of Individual and Contextual Factors." Expected Completion, Spring, 2014. Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

J. Michael Vecchio. "The Role of Violence with and across Self-identified Gang Youth." Expected Completion, Spring, 2014. Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Dena C. Carson. "Examining the Effect of Changes in the Peer Group on attitudes: A Longitudinal Study. 2011. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Bradley T. Brick. "Examining Individual and Community Predictors of Formal Sanctioning in an Adolescent Sample." 2009. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Presentations

Stephanie A. Wiley, Lee Ann Slocum, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “The Unintended Consequences of Being Stopped or Arrested: An Exploration of the Labeling Mechanisms through Which Police Contact Leads to Subsequent Delinquency.” European Society of Criminology, Budapest, Hungary, September 2013.

Dena C. Carson, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Dana Peterson. “A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Motives, Methods, and Consequences of Gang Desistance.” Annual Meetings of the European Society of Criminology, September 2013. Budapest, Hungary

Chris Melde, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Dena Carson. “Gang Membership and Involvement in Violence among U.S. Adolescents: A Test of Construct Validity.” Eurogang Program of Research Meeting, June 2013. University of Kent, Canterbury, UK

Dena C. Carson, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Dana Peterson. “A Multi-Method Exploration of Gang Desistance.” Eurogang Program of Research Meeting, June 2013. University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.

Lee Ann Slocum, Terrance J. Taylor, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “The Code of Silence in Schools: An Assessment of a Socio-Ecological Model of Youths’ Willingness to Report School Misbehavior.” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL

Kirstin Morgan. “The impact of duration of risk exposure on gang involvement.” Poster presented at American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

Dana Peterson, Dena C. Carson, and Eric Fowler. “Sex composition of groups and members’ victimization: A replication and extension.” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

Adrienne Freng, Dena C. Carson, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “The Racial Composition of Gangs.” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

J. Michael Vecchio. “Pathways Into and Out of Youth Gangs” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

Stephanie A. Wiley and Finn Aage-Esbensen. “The Negative Consequences of Police Contact for Gang Youth.” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

Terrance J. Taylor, Dena C. Carson, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Do social skills mediate the self-control – violence relationship?” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

Dena C. Carson and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Youth Gangs and Non-gang Delinquent Peer Groups: What’s the Difference?” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, and D. Wayne Osgood. “The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.): Results from a Multi-Site, Randomized Control Trial.” American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL, November 2012.

Finn-Aage Esbensen and Dena C. Carson. “Who are the Gangsters?: An Examination of the Age, Race/Ethnicity, Sex, and Immigration Status of Self-reported Gang Members in a Seven City Study of American Youth.” European Society of Criminology, Bilbao, Spain, September 2012.

Chris Melde and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Gangs and Violence: Disentangling the Impact of Gang Membership on the Level and Nature of Offending.” Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting, New York, NY, March 2012.

Stephanie A. Wiley. “Revisiting Labeling Theory: What factors affect future delinquency?” Western Society of Criminology, Newport Beach, CA, February 2012.

Dena C. Carson, Terrance J. Taylor, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “A Longitudinal Analysis of In-School Victimization as a Risk Factor for School Mobility.” Western Society of Criminology, Newport Beach, CA, February 2012.

Dena C. Carson. “Examining the Effect of Peers on Changes in Attitudes: A Longitudinal Analysis.” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

J. Michael Vecchio. “Exploring and Theorizing Youth Gang Leaving.” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

Dana Peterson and Kirstin A. Morgan. “Sex Differences in Gang Risk Factors across Adolescence: Implications for Gang Prevention.” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

Adrienne Freng, Chris Melde, Kristy N. Matsuda, and Terrance J. Taylor. “Gang Membership and Adherence to the Code of the Streets.” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

Kirstin A. Morgan. “Exposure to Risk: Examining the Impact of Risk Factors on Gang Involvement.” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

Stephanie A. Wiley and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Revisiting Labeling Theory: Does Official Intervention Result in Deviance Amplification?” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

Chris Melde and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “The Proximate Impact of Gang Desistance: A Turning Point Framework.” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

Kristy Matsuda, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Dana Peterson. “The Effect of Gang Structures on Gang Member Attitudes and Behavior: An Empirical Examination.” American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC, November 2011.

Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Process and Outcome Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program.” Children’s Justice and Safety Conference, OJJDP, Washington, DC, October 2011.

Finn-Aage Esbensen. “G.R.E.A.T. Evaluation: Preliminary Findings.” National Gang Symposium, Orlando, FL, June 2011.

Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Promising Results from the National Evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program” 10th Annual Youth Violence Prevention Conference. University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, April 2011.

Kristy Matsuda and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Gang Structures in a National School-Based Sample of Youth: A test of Maxson and Klein’s gang typology.” Western Society of Criminology, Vancouver, BC, Canada, February 2011.

Dena C. Carson and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Differentiating Delinquent Groups from Gangs: Moving Beyond Offending.” Western Society of Criminology, Vancouver, BC, Canada, February 2011.

Lee Slocum, Terrance J. Taylor, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Contextual Determinants of Youths’ Willingness to Report Crime.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

Kristy Matsuda and Finn-Aage Esbensen “The Missing Gang Members: Measuring Gang Careers using Longitudinal Data.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

Dana Peterson and Kirstin Morgan. “Risky Business: Risk Factor Predictions of Girls’ and Boys’ Gang Involvement.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, and D. Wayne Osgood. “G.R.E.A.T. is Great.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

J. Michael Vecchio, Dana Peterson, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “The apostasy of the gang: Motivations for youth gang desistance.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

Stephanie A. Wiley and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Predicting Substance Use in Juveniles: A Test of an Integrated Model.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

Dena C. Carson. “Changes in Youth Offending: An Examination of the Interdependence of Self-control and Social bonds.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

Hyon Namgung, Terrance J. Taylor, Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Exploring the Role of Different Policing Models of School-Based Prevention Efforts on Changes in Youths’ Attitudes towards the Police.” American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November 2010.

Dana Peterson, Dena C. Carson, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Sex Composition of Gangs and Youth Gang Member Delinquency: An Examination of Selection and Social Facilitation Using the Eurogang Definition.” Eurogang X Workshop. Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany, June 2010.

Kristy Matsuda, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Dena C. Carson. “Putting the ‘Gang’ in Eurogang: Characteristics of Delinquent Youth Groups by Different Definitional Approaches.” Eurogang X Workshop. Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany, June 2010.

Dena C. Carson. “The Moderating Effects of Race on the Relationship between Delinquent Attitudes and Delinquency.” Western Society of Criminology, Honolulu, HI, February 2010.

Terrance J. Taylor, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Bradley T. Brick, and Adrienne Freng. “Exploring the Measurement Quality of an Attitudinal Scale of Street Code- Related Violence: Similarities and Differences across Groups and Contexts.” Western Society of Criminology, Honolulu, HI, February 2010.

Dena C. Carson. “The Influence of Peer Group Composition on Delinquent Beliefs.” American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia, PA. November 2009.

John Michael Vecchio, Terrance J. Taylor, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Self-control, Delinquent Lifestyles, and Subsequent Victimization.” American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia, PA. November 2009.

Dana Peterson and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Gang Sex Composition Effects: Selection or Social Facilitation?” American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia, PA. November 2009.

Bradley T. Brick. “Minority Threat in Schools: Racial Status, Social Context, and Social Control.” American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia, PA. November 2009.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, and Terrance J. Taylor. “The Validity of the Filtering and Funneling Methods of Defining Gang Membership.” European Society of Criminology, Ljubljana, Slovenia. September 2009.

Finn-Aage Esbensen. Presentation to National Policy Board. Baltimore, MD. April 2009.

Adrienne Freng, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, and Terrance J. Taylor. “The Gang Experience and the Marginalization of Females.” American Society of Criminology, St. Louis, MO. November 2008.

Bradley T. Brick. “Race, Social Context, and Social Control: An Examination of Racial Disparity in School Punishment.” American Society of Criminology, St. Louis, MO. November 2008.

Dena C. Carson, Terrance J. Taylor, Dana Peterson, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Alternative Measures of Program Implementation.” American Society of Criminology, St. Louis, MO. November 2008.

Krystle M. Leugoud, Bradley T. Brick, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “The Use of Observations to Assess Program Fidelity.” American Society of Criminology, St. Louis, MO. November 2008.

Terrance J. Taylor, Dana Peterson, and Adrienne Freng. “Strategies for Reducing Attrition across Waves.” American Society of Criminology, St. Louis, MO. November, 2008.

Chris Melde, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Terrance J. Taylor, Dana Peterson. “Reducing Initial Loss Rates Associated with Active Parental Consent.” American Society of Criminology, St. Louis, MO. November, 2008.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Bradley T. Brick, Terrance J. Taylor, Dana Peterson, Chris Melde, and Dena C. Carson. “Dueling Banjos: Does definition matter?”American Society of Criminology, St. Louis, MO. November 2008.

Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Preliminary Short-term Results from the Evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program.” Report to the GREAT National Policy Board, San Diego, CA. November 2008.

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Bradley T. Brick, Chris Melde, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, and Dena C. Carson. “An Empirical Assessment of the Eurogang Funneling Approach to Establish Gang Membership.” European Society of Criminology, Edinburgh, Scotland, September 2008.

Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Progress Report on the Evaluation of GREAT.” National GREAT Conference, St. Louis, MO. July 2008.

Finn-Aage Esbensen and Chris Melde. “Strategies to Enhance Program Fidelity.” National Institute of Justice Conference, Crystal City, VA. July, 2008.

Dena C. Carson, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Terrance J. Taylor, and Dana Peterson. 2008. National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) Program: Results from Surveys and Interviews with GREAT-trained Officers. University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Dena C. Carson, Finn-Aage Esbensen, and Terrance J. Taylor “An Examination of Officers' Attitudes about a School-Based Community-Oriented Policing Strategy.” Western Society of Criminology, Sacramento, CA, February 2008.

Terrance J. Taylor, Nick Miofsky, and Finn-Aage Esbensen. “(Foreign) Born in the USA: Immigration, Youth Victimization, and Awareness of Victim Assistance.” American Society of Criminology, Atlanta, GA, November 2007.

Finn-Aage Esbensen. “Process and Outcome Evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program.” Report to the National Policy Board, International Association of Chiefs of Police, New Orleans, LA, October 12, 2007

Finn-Aage Esbensen, Chris Melde, Dana Peterson, and Terrance J. Taylor. “Obtaining Active Parental Consent for a School-based Evaluation.” Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Seattle, WA, March 2007.