NCJ Number
169715
Journal
Telemasp Bulletin Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (June 1995) Pages: complete issue
Date Published
1995
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program is examined with respect to its content, results of recent evaluations, use by Texas police agencies, and future in Texas.
Abstract
DARE originated in Los Angeles and is now taught in every State. Trained police officers present 17 lessons lasting 1 hour each. The lessons focus on self-esteem, decisionmaking, and alternatives to drug use. Evaluation results have generated controversy regarding the conclusions and the methods used. Media reports have noted the program's political popularity. A survey of 41 Texas police agencies revealed that 34 agencies have drug education programs and that 27 agencies use DARE. Nineteen agencies follow the program exactly as outlined in the DARE handbook; the others follow it fairly closely. No two agencies have the same qualifications for an officer to be employed in the DARE program. The agencies provide most of the funding for the programs. DARE focuses on kindergarten through grade six and is slowly expanding to secondary schools. Most of the DARE programs aim to increase the number of police officers or funding. Eighty-five percent of the agencies would recommend continuing DARE even if evaluation data revealed its ineffectiveness. The agencies that have implemented DARE support it, although several agencies are satisfied with other drug prevention or gang resistance programs. Tables, illustrations, list of police agencies that took part in the survey, and 10 references