Drug Abuse Resistance Education
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Drug Abuse Resistance Education, better known as DARE or D.A.R.E., is an international education program, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, which seeks to discourage interest in illegal drugs, gangs, and violence. DARE, which has expanded globally since its founding in 1983, is the major demand-side drug control strategy of the U.S. War on Drugs. Students who enter the latest of over a dozen versions of the program sign a pledge to never use drugs or join gangs and are taught by local law enforcement about the dangers of drug use in a high-tech, interactive, ten week in-school curriculum. According to the DARE website, 36 million children around the world — 26 million in the U.S. — are part of the program. The program is implemented in 80% of the nation's school districts, and 54 countries around the world.[1]
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[edit] Brief history and overview
DARE America, a national non-profit organization, was founded in 1983 by Los Angeles Police chief Daryl Gates. DARE America is the main resource center that provides officer training, supports the development and evaluation of the DARE curriculum, provides student educational materials, monitors instruction standards and program results, and creates national awareness for both community and national chapters of the program. The DARE program has since become pervasively used throughout the U.S. and in several other countries. It has received numerous accolades and awards for trying to keep "kids off drugs." [1]
The U.S. Department of Education concluded in 2003 that the DARE program is ineffective and now prohibits its funds from being used to support it.[2] The U.S. Surgeon General's office, the National Academy of Sciences,[2] The GAO also concluded that the program is sometimes counterproductive in some populations, with those who graduate from DARE later having higher rates of drug use. Studies by Dr. Dennis Rosenbaum [3], and by the California Legislative Analyst's office [4] found that DARE graduates were more likely than others to drink alcohol, smoke tobacco and take illegal drugs.
Administrators of the DARE program have tried to suppress unfavorable research by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) that found that "DARE simply didn't work". A Federal judge ruled that DARE had sought to "suppress scientific research" critical of its program and had "attempted to silence researchers at the Research Triangle Institute," according to editors at the American Journal of Public Health and producers at Dateline NBC. [5][6] Some reporters, like those at Rolling Stone magazine, who have written negative stories on DARE have claimed that they were the victims of harassment and intimidation as a result. [7] Critics such as Students for Sensible Drug Policy, DRCNet, and Drugsense, have accused DARE of teaching misleading and inaccurate information about drugs and drug use.
The policy of allowing or encouraging anonymous reporting of drug use by other students, or even parents and teachers, has created resentment and raised important issues about both student rights and family rights to privacy.
Some argue that DARE's 'Just Say No' messages mislead by lumping all drugs from beer to heroin in the same category.[8]
It is also argued that DARE should be replaced by programs of proven effectiveness [9]. Regardless of these and many other criticisms, DARE still remains widely popular. [10]
[edit] The D.A.R.E. T-Shirt
The D.A.R.E T-shirt was a T-shirt given to thousands of public school students in the U.S during the 90's, and 00's. It has since become a pop culture icon among youth and young adults in the U.S.
The standard (and most recognized) shirt design was a black tee with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) logo in red and accompanying text underneath in white printed on the front of the shirt. 'To Keep Kids Off Drugs' or 'To Resist Drugs and Violence' are common phrases printed on the shirt.
The T-shirt was traditionally awarded as a prize to students who completed the D.A.R.E program and pledged to stay drug-free although the D.A.R.E. program now authorizes screen-printers to license their graphics.
Originally designed as a declaration of the wearer's drug-free stance, it has since become popular with recreational drug users as an ironic display of pride and defiance. Additionally, it has inspired parody T-shirts featuring backronyms such as "Drugs Are Really Expensive".
[edit] See also
- GREAT Program
- Illegal drugs
- Legal issues of cannabis
- Police Athletic League
- Prohibition (drugs)
- Students for Sensible Drug Policy
- War on Drugs
[edit] References
- ^ a b DARE.com, the official website of the DARE program.
- ^ a b Zernike, K. Anti-drug program says it will adopt a new strategy. New York Times, February 15, 2001.
- ^ Rosenbaum, D. P., and Gordon S. Hanson. Assessing the effects of school-based drug education: A six-year multilevel analysis of project D.A.R.E. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 1998, 35(4), 381-412. abstract, Full text at Schaffer Library of Drug Policy
- ^ Bovard, J. DARE's dying gasp. The Future of Freedom Foundation, September, 2000. [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ Ennett, S.T., Tobler, N.S., Ringwalt, C.L., & Flewelling, R.L. How effective is Drug Abuse Resistance Education? A meta-analysis of project DARE outcome evaluations. American Journal of Public Health, 1994, 84(9), 1394-1401.
- ^ [6]
