D.A.R.E IN DANGER

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program has seen better days.
Studies have shown DARE to be ineffective and costly. Officer Grady
Jones of the Auburn Police Department has been a DARE instructor since
1989. He said the local program has been effective.

"Its like any other survey," Jones said. "You can find ones that say
it's good, and some that say it's bad."

The only money spent on the local DARE program is on the salaries of
the two officers who teach the curriculum. Jones and officer Keith
Horn raise money they need through donations and proceeds from DARE
T-shirts and pencils.

"We don't get any money from the state or federal government," Jones said.

John Sloan, chair of UNIveRSITy OF ALAbaMA-BiRMINGHAM's Justices
Sciences Program, said there is a difference between the old DARE and
the new DARE.

"A couple of years ago DARE revamped its program in response to data
saying (it) was ineffective," Sloan said. "So far, no studies have
been released on the new DARE."

Studies on the old DARE program showed it had little effect on kids
who experienced the program, compared to kids who did not.

The studies followed children for years after they went through DARE.

"One study even showed kids where more likely to be doing drugs and
alcohol after DARE," Sloan said.

The original DARE program targeted fifth and sixth grade students.

Sloan said this was too soon, because most kids will not be exposed to
drugs and alcohol until late middle school and early high school.

"It assumed you could run kids through the program, take two years
off, and count on kids to remember it," Sloan said.

New DARE programs target seventh and eighth grade students for an
extended time.

"The fifth grade curriculum has changed three times since 1983," Jones said.

In Auburn, Jones and Horn run the core program in fifth grade for 17
weeks. They do a follow-up meeting with seventh graders for two weeks
every nine weeks of school.

The officers also meet with kids in first and third grades.

"They mainly go in and introduce themselves and meet them," said Brad
Hooks, a counselor at Ogletree Elementary School.

Hooks said DARE is effective in many ways.

"Probably the most important way is in establishing that open,
friendly link with the police officers," Hooks said. "Its great to see
kids running up to hug a police officer on the street."

Ogletree does not spend any money on DARE. The officers supply goodies
for the children and supplies for DARE graduations, Hooks said.

Auburn's DARE program is low cost and is well received by schools,
Jones said.

He said large cities do not have the resources to keep the same
officers in the classrooms.

"They can't follow kids through the different grades," Jones said.
"This is what damages their programs."