NCJ Number
163015
Journal
American Journal of Police Volume: 14 Issue: 3/4 Dated: (1995) Pages: 111-121
Date Published
1995
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This report presents the methodology and findings of an evaluation of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
Abstract
The independent variable in the study was exposure to the DARE program, which is a set of 17 lessons designed to reduce the likelihood that students will choose to use drugs; the program is presented to students in the sixth grade as a part of their regular curriculum; it is taught by police officers. The primary dependent variables were attitudes toward drug use and degree of reported drug use. Attitudes toward drug use were measured by a 40-item Likert-type scale. Reported drug use included information of subject use of controlled substances, beliefs regarding the harmfulness of controlled substances, and frequency of use of controlled substances by friends. The substances addressed included cigarettes, beer, wine coolers, liquor, marijuana, cocaine, uppers, downers, inhalants, and hallucinogens. The data presented show that the DARE program has been successful in providing information. DARE students were more likely to have attitudes favorable to avoidance of drug use. They had stronger anti-drug use attitudes than the control group at the end of training and appear to have retained aspects of this perspective 1 year later. The levels of reported behavior were less supportive. The data do not show significant improvement in self- reported drug use when DARE students were compared with two control groups. At best, it appears that additional research must be conducted with more precise measures of reported drug use over a longer period of time. 4 tables and 25 references