This year, more than 36 million school children around the world -- 26 million in the U.S. -- will benefit from D.A,R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), the highly acclaimed program that gives youngsters the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs or violence. D.A.R.E. began in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in nearly 80 percent of our nation’s school districts and in 52 countries around the world.

D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classrooms lessons that teach kindergarten through 12th grade children how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug- and violence-free lives. The program, which was developed by the Los Angeles Police Department in collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District, initially focused only on elementary school children. It has now been expanded to include middle school and high school programs.

D.A.R.E.. America Launched to Meet Demand

Overwhelming national and international demand for D.A.R.E. led to the creation of a national nonprofit organization. D.A.R.E. America serves as a resource to communities, helping establish and improve local D.A.R.E. programs. D.A.R.E. America provides officer training, supports the development and evaluation of the D.A.R.E. curriculum, provides student educational materials, monitors instruction standards and program results and creates national awareness for D.A.R.E.

D.A.R.E. Training is Unique

D.A.R.E. goes beyond traditional drug abuse and violence prevention programs. D.A.R.E. gives children skills to recognize and resist the subtle and overt pressures that cause then to experiment with drugs or become involved in gangs or violent activities.

D.A.R.E. has been lauded by three presidential administrations, congressmen, governors and state
legislators. Since 1988, one day each year has been declared National D.A.R.E. Day by Presidential
Proclamation. State legislatures have joined with the President and Congress by proclaiming
D.A.R.E. Day within their respective states.

Veteran Cops Assigned Classroom “Beats”

The D.A.R.E. curriculum was designed to be taught by police officers whose training and experience gives them the background needed to answer young students frequently sophisticated questions about drugs and crime. Prior to entering the D.A.R.E. program, officers undergo 80 hours of special training in areas such as child development, classroom management, teaching techniques and communication skills. Forty hours of additional training are provided to experienced D.A.R.E. instructors to equip them to teach the high school curriculum.
 

TEACHING KIDS TO RESIST DRUGS & VIOLENCE

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.)
D.A.R.E. is the largest, most effective and well organized school based drug
prevention program in America. As a country we fight illegal drug use through a
comprehensive, balanced strategy, but the heart and soul of our anti-drug effort is
prevention and education—particularly our school based efforts. This is one of
the best investments we can make for our country. D.A.R.E., in particular, is a
good investment because it works. To date, more than fifty independent
evaluations have shown that students learn to resist drugs and violence through
the D.A.R.E. curriculum.

D.A.R.E. not only provides practical tools to help kids remain drug-free, but also
qualified and credible instructors who make an impact. In a recent study done in
California, kids reported that in addition to their parents, D.A.R.E. officers were
the greatest influence on their decision not to use illegal substances. Ninety-five
percent of the students believed that the D.A.R.E. program had influenced their
decision not to use drugs.

D.A.R.E. continues its phenomenal growth—
• 36 million children across the world will benefit from D.A.R.E.
• 50 thousand D.A.R.E. officers are now trained to teach the program
• D.A.R.E. is taught in all 50 States and 52 other countries
• In the last three years over 1,000 new communities started the D.A.R.E.
program

The most important living example of the D.A.R.E. program, however, is the
dedication and commitment of the men and women of law enforcement.
D.A.R.E. officers are a unique group of dedicated and enthusiastic individuals
who connect strongly with this country's youth. The success of D.A.R.E. is
founded upon officers who love to work with kids.

Results of studies of recent drug prevention effort programs demonstrate that we
are making a difference. The 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse
found that overall drug use among young people (ages 12-17) is down 13 percent
from last year. Led by successful programs like D.A.R.E., we can build on this
momentum and create a brighter, healthier future for our nation one child at a
time.

Overview

Overview of the D.A.R.E. Program

The D.A.R.E. program has three main goals. First, D.A.R.E. seeks to provide students with a knowledge base on the effects of drug abuse that go beyond the physical ramifications and extend to emotional, social, and economic aspects of life. Secondly, D.A.R.E. aims to build decision-making and problem solving skills and strategies to help students make informed decisions and resist drug use, peer pressure, and violence. Lastly, an integral part of the D.A.R.E. program is to provide students with alternatives to drug use.

D.A.R.E. is a universal program designed to reach the general population, rather than "at risk" groups, and it is most often implemented in the fifth and sixth grades. Research has shown this to be a time when children are very receptive to anti-drug messages, particularly as they approach the age associated with drug experimentation. The curriculum focuses on knowledge and skill development in seven areas: 1) cognitive information, 2) recognizing pressures, 3) refusal skills,
4) consequential thinking and risk taking, 5) interpersonal and communication skills, 6) decision making, 7) positive alternatives. Some of the D.A.R.E. lessons focus on raising awareness in these skill areas, while others emphasize their practical application.

D.A.R.E. is instinctive in its approach in that specially trained, uniformed police officers conduct the lessons in the classroom. By employing law enforcement officers to teach the curriculum, D.A.R.E. brings the firsthand accounts of the officers' experiences from the street to the classroom. It is this unique aspect of the program that not only intrigues students but also helps to foster a positive relationship between the students and police officers. While officers actually conduct the D.A.R.E. lessons, a licensed teacher is required to be present in the classroom. That teacher is expected to reinforce the D.A.R.E. material by integrating its objectives into the general curriculum for the particular grade level. It is believed that this will strengthen the students' understanding of the D.A.R.E. objectives and increase their confidence in applying those skills in a variety of situations.

The lessons provide factual information about drugs, with an emphasis on gateway drugs (marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco), and teach refusal skills through role-playing and other techniques. Since its inception, D.A.R.E. has undergone revisions as a result of research findings and is now more interactive, promoting active student participation. Additionally, D.A.R.E. has broadened its focus to include conflict resolution and gang prevention, and has expanded to encompass programs for parent education and after-school recreation and learning.

D.A.R.E.
At-A-Glance

D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a collaborative program in
which local law enforcement and local schools join together to educate students
about the personal and social consequences of substance abuse and violence.
The D.A.R.E. curricula is designed to be delivered sequentially from grades K-
12. First developed in 1983, D.A.R.E. has undergone multiple revisions as
research findings increased knowledge of effective substance abuse prevention
among school aged youth.

Mission

To provide children with the information and skills they need to avoid tobacco
and alcohol, to live drug-free and violence free lives.

Outreach

More than 26 million U.S. children in more than 300,000 classrooms in 10,000
communities in all 50 states will benefit from D.A.R.E. this year. D.A.R.E.
benefits an additional 10 million children in 52 other countries. Additionally, all
Department of Defense Schools worldwide and all U.S. Territories have
D.A.R.E. programs in place.

Curricula

The K-12 D.A.R.E. curricula have been improved and updated nine times since
inception. Current lessons focus on:

Strong "NO USE" message                                     Character Education
Immediate consequences                                     Protective factors resiliency
Normative beliefs                                               Interactive participatory learning
Consequential thinking (Problem solving               Social resistance skills
conflict management)                                        Violence prevention
Self-management skills                                         Alternatives
Voluntary commitment                                         Role - modeling

Credible presenter Set curriculum and quality training 

The D.A.R.E. sequential curricula is comprised of the following:

K-Grade 2 curriculum
Grades 2-4 curriculum
Grades 5-6 curriculum
Junior High/Middle School curriculum
High School curriculum
Parents training

Many experts in education and medicine believe substance abuse prevention and anger management techniques must begin early, D.A.R.E. targets students when they are first exposed to violence an are most vulnerable to peer pressure to try drugs or alcohol. D.A.R.E. helps children build their self-esteem, manage stress and anger, foresee behavioral consequences, resist pro-drug media messages and identify alternatives to drug use. It doesn’t just tell them to say “no”, it teaches them how to say “no”. D.A.R.E. accomplishes this by:

• Providing students with accurate information about alcohol and drugs;
• Teaching students ways to resist drugs and violence while providing alternatives to drug use;
• Teaching students decision-making skills and the consequences of their behavior; and
• Building students’ self esteem while teaching them how to resist peer pressure.

The D.A.R.E. program is divided into five components:

K-4th grade visitations   K-2  3-4  This acquaints children with the D.A.R.E. officer and lays the groundwork for the 17 lessons they will receive in 5th and 6th grade.

5th 6th grade curriculum classes The foundation of the D.A.R.E. program, this provides students with the skills they will need as young adults to avoid gang violence and to resist the temptations of drug abuse. This curriculum was revised in 1994 and lessons on gang violence and anger management were added. Additionally, gang and violence resistance were incorporated into other applicable lessons.

Junior High These 10 lessons are a follow-up to the previous 17 lessons. They reinforce the values students learned in elementary school.

High School These nine lessons combine all the previously learned values and experiences and applies them to real life situations, teaching young adults the value of staying drug free. Six lessons are officer taught with three follow-up lessons taught by regular classroom teachers.

Parent Program Six two-hour sessions designed to involve families in the prevention effort. Lessons focus on effective parent/child interaction, understanding peer pressure, identifying warning signs, and reducing the risks of drug abuse and violent behavior.

D.A.R.E. + P.L.U.S.

In 1993, D.A.R.E. America pioneered a new program, D.A.R.E. + P.L.U.S. (Playing and Learning Under Supervision), an on-campus, after school program that offers middle and junior high school students the opportunity to be involved in a variety of positive, enjoyable alternative activities.

Officers

More than 50,000 local law enforcement officers are certified to teach the
D.A.R.E. program.

Training Centers

D.A.R.E. maintains five regional officer training centers in the U.S. and 46 state
training centers in the most populous states in the U.S.

Funding

D.A.R.E. is not a government program although it has enjoyed Administration
support. Since its inception, funding for D.A.R.E. student educational materials
and instructors training is provided by D.A.R.E. America, a non-profit
organization. Less than one percent of D.A.R.E. America's budget comes from
federal sources.

Review

D.A.R.E. is reviewed annually by the D.A.R.E. Scientific Advisory Board, the
D.A.R.E. America Law Enforcement Advisory Board, D.A.R.E. officers, school
and municipal administrators. Research findings and increased knowledge of
effective anti-drug, anti-violence, and anti-substance abuse prevention is
continually evaluated for incorporation into curricula.