D.A.R.E. Program Essay, Research Paper
Drugs have been affecting our society for many long years. Actions of preventing drugs being distributed to young teens have been a big issue to control. American authority wanted to control such horrible actions being witness in America. Drugs somehow got to our young teens in rural cities across America. A solution must be taken into action to stop the insanity.
DARE a program that was developed by LAPD in conjunction with Los Angeles United School district is a program thought to enforce drug awareness across America and through out the world. The program was to equip elementary and junior high school children with knowledge about drug abuse, the consequences of abuse, and skills for resisting peer pressure to experiment with drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
Law enforcers were to teach a formal curriculum to students in a classroom setting. The elementary school D.A.R.E. program targets 5th or 6th graders and prepares them to enter junior high school, where pressures to use drugs were at its peak.
The 17-week program undergoes lessons dealing with drug and violence with violent situations they may encounter.
The DARE program is also encouraging kids to spy and inform on parents and friends. The police officers then ask the children to submit to DARE officer s sensitive written questions that can easily refer to kids . Basically in my opinion an extra eye for the DARE officers, to see if the child s parents or friends are using drugs, so, the child may rat them out to the DARE officers.
The DARE officers also bring Frisbees, wristwatches and an official DARE song entitled ( Dare to keep a kid off dope/Dare to give a kid some hope ). One statement they also stress upon are the Three R s . Recognize, Resist and Report. Worksheets are then given out to circle names of the people you could tell if a friend finds drugs; the police are listed along with Mother or Father, Teacher or Friend. The students in the program are also able to win or purchase DARE pencils, erasers, workbooks and certificates of achievement. I think these are all bribes to gain the kids awareness on the given products more than the actually program itself.
However, to these and other programs of drug prevention work? Do these really keep our children off drugs? Or is it just an excuse to gain attention from the public to raise money so law enforcers will have plenty of money in their presink?
In a recent study s show that a comprehensive evaluation by Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, that were part of the DARE program. 1,000 Midwestern students who is in the program showed no difference between those who received DARE and those who did not in their use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana or other drugs. The only difference was that those who received the training had lower levels of self-esteem.
Then another statistical analysis of DARE researchers conducted another survey. Research Triangle Institute (RTI) was hired by the Justice Department to do the survey.
RTI representative analyzed eight studies involving 9,500 children. The staggering test showed that the DARE has limited to essentially nonexistent effect on drug use. Do these people with great skills in determining the outcome of these programs really doing it right?
We ll the world-renowned psychologists Bill Coulson, Carl Rogers, and Abraham Maslow says their theories of DARE were inconclusive. Rogers and Maslow later admitted their theories were wrong and off base. Bill coulson seemed to ignore the theories that he was apart off and decide he shall speak in silence. Are these the men who should be involved in American youth s lives in dealing with drugs? Or is it up to the society if they wanted to do anything with DARE?
These devastating surveys and analysis really shocked me. Then I wondered where is all the money being generated. It turns out that more that $500 million in federal money targeted for drug and violence prevention are being generated. DARE claims the program costs are less than $200 million annually, however, other credible estimates range as high as $700 million, considering all costs. Should society give money to donate to something that s not working? That s like watering a garden and giving fertilizer and watching something grow when seeds have not been planted yet. These people seem to be earning enormous amount of money, but, not any solution of any problems has been solved in the process.
Should programs like the DARE program continue? If drugs are needed to be kicked of the streets, should kids be the one s to educate? Or should the parents handle these situations? Many questions can be pondered in the air. Although, this DARE program seem to enforce children the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. Then why are there so many studies that were conducted by surveyors that proves this program is not effected? 52 countries that are part of DARE around the world may also be possible witnessing that it s not going anywhere. Although, the studies were only conducted in American schools no recent news or test shows that it is the same for the other 52 countries.
For the most part, if a problem needs to be improved like the DARE program. A society must come together and help find a solution. It s a great idea that kids are in formed with drugs. But, it seems its up to the parents of the kid(s) to catch and prevent all the drug issues that fall upon us. These programs don t work and is a waste of time and money to the general public. Its better of spending the money gained to homeless people to keep their life straight then spending it on programs that have no or little solution.