DARE TO BE DIFFERENT?

The Popular Program Acknowledges That It Hasn't Succeeded

Americans love campaigns. So when a group dared us to keep our kids
off drugs, we jumped on the bandwagon. We sported the T-shirts,
attached the bumper stickers to our cars and adopted the "just say
no" mentality. But has DARE accomplished what it set out to do?

DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) was started in 1983 as a joint
venture between the Los Angeles Police Department and the local
school district. It quickly caught on, and 18 years later the
campaign has reached approximately 36 million kids. Based on the
premise that prevention is the only real answer to drug abuse,
officers provide youth with information about drugs, teach skills for
dealing with peer pressure and build confidence.

DARE Web sites point to studies that demonstrate the benefits of
their program. They've had success in fostering better relationships
between kids and police officers. DARE is an important part of the
overall drug program in many schools. Students polled believe it
meets its goals by providing students the tools to deal with peer
pressure. But does it decrease drug use?

Not significantly, it seems. According to critics, it fails to reach
teens at highest risk, and some claim it may actually be damaging to
students. The program fails to address a student's home life - one of
the biggest indicators of drug use. Some claim it doesn't have the
staying power to last kids through their adolescent years. Most
important, it hasn't reduced drug use among youth.

Now DARE officials are acknowledging their strategy isn't working. So
they're developing a new approach. But should we give them more money?

Taxpayers, businesses and police departments collect roughly $700
million a year for the program. Though DARE and the officers who
participate should be commended for their efforts, that is a lot of
money for a program that can't conclusively demonstrate results. It's
time to try something different.

Perhaps the use of rehabilitated abusers and counselors would be more
effective than uniformed officers. The $700 million could go a long
way toward employing additional counselors who are available to kids
every day rather than one 17-week period in the sixth grade. What may
be needed are people targeting the at-risk population - people who
can detect changes in behavior and risk factors while working daily
with kids. Counselors in the schools for the duration make more sense
than a one-time dose of a "just say no" campaign. Before pouring more
money into a slogan, let's consider programs that might have a better
chance of success.

It's a lot of money for a program that can't conclusively demonstrate results.