DARE LISTENED

Promoters of the DARE program finally recognized the program was not really
effective and they are going to change it. Drug Abuse Resistance Education
is a national program designed to keep kids off drugs that has been
operating for about 20 years. For several years schools and other youth
organizations told the DARE promoters that the program was not effective.
But DARE didn't listen. Finally, they listened and the program will be changed.

So what about our justice system? For about those same 20 years we have
been getting tough on crime and locking up a large percentage of our
population ­ mostly for illegal drugs. Since our drug problem is not
getting better, it is logical to say the practice of putting so many people
in prison is also not working. How long before we change this practice?

A.F. DELALOYE, Plano