SHERIFF: DARE PROGRAM MIGHT BE ELIMINATED

BEAUFORT -- A program that has been a cornerstone of drug education for
Lowcountry youth for more than a decade probably will be cut next year
because of concerns about the effectiveness of the program, says Beaufort
County Sheriff P.J. Tanner.

Tanner said he intends to cut the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program
because of the lack of results. Tanner said his office doesn't have a way
to track the success of the program.

"I haven't seen any evidence that it's working or that it's not working,"
Tanner said. "I don't have any statistical information about it."

Although Tanner said it might be hard to generate that sort of information,
he said he thought the 11-year-old DARE program's narrow focus on drug and
alcohol abuse also presents a problem.

"We need to put in place a program that is better suited for Beaufort
County," Tanner said. "You need a program that focuses on a number of
issues that are troubling to our young people today."

Tanner said, one of the things he wants is a program that educates students
about gangs and violence.

Tanner also wants a program that works on a shorter time frame. The DARE
program lasts about 17 weeks. He said one of the programs he is looking
into lasts only seven weeks. That would allow the program to be taught more
often.

Beaufort County School District officials said they've had similar concerns
about the program. District spokesman John Williams said the district has
been concerned with the program's efficacy for several years.

"We've been concerned about the amount of time it takes away from the
academic day," Williams said. "There may be better programs that deliver
messages about making healthy decisions."

Williams didn't accuse the DARE program of failing, but he said it might
not deliver the best bang for the buck. He said the district would like to
target a wide range of unhealthy behaviors rather than just drug and
alcohol use.

Williams said the district also would rather have a program that educates
several age groups, rather than just one. DARE is a program for
fifth-graders only.

Tanner said the two officers involved in the DARE program would have to be
reassigned to a new program. The two DARE vehicles probably would be used
in the new program.

"There will be remnants of DARE in the new program," Tanner said.

The state provides training for DARE officers, and the Sheriff's Office
takes care of the other expenses in their budget. But budget cuts at the
state level might mean the end of the training program.

Tanner said the program can help reduce the chance a student might run
afoul of the law, but there are other important pieces, too.

"Education needs to start at home, and it needs to start early," Tanner said.