Pubdate: Wed, 04 Sep 2002
Source: Oakville Beaver (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, Oakville Beaver
Contact:  http://www.haltonsearch.com/hr/ob/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1600
Author: Howard Mozel

STUDY SHOWS DARE HAS POSITIVE SIDE EFFECT

Police officers who teach the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) 
program have long relied on anecdotal evidence to measure their success. 
Now a new study helps prove what they've always believed.

True, the report by the Washington-based Journal of the National Medical 
Association (NMA) focuses only on smoking, but its results still bolster 
the view that DARE, in fact, does have a positive impact on its young 
participants.

The study found that students, who completed the DARE program, were five 
times less likely to start smoking, compared to youngsters who did not 
participate.

Researchers also found a direct correlation between knowledge about the 
risks of smoking and increases in smoking avoidance.

"This study validates what DARE instructors, DARE graduates and their 
parents have known for years - DARE works," says DARE America president 
Glenn Levant. "Through DARE's comprehensive curriculum, students are armed 
with the tools needed to reject destructive behaviours such as smoking, 
drinking and taking drugs."

The 17-week DARE program - presented to all Grade 6 students from both 
school boards in Halton - provides young people with the self esteem and 
will power to refuse offers of drugs and alcohol, options how to deal with 
the stress of peer pressure and means to solve problems without resorting 
to violence. This year alone, more than 36 million children in 55 countries 
were enrolled in DARE.

Quantifying the fact that the program works is not about ego, says Halton 
Regional Police Education Services Co-ordinator Sgt. Joe Prasad, but is 
important for several very pragmatic reasons.

First, Prasad says some hard evidence will help fundraisers when they 
approach area service clubs and other groups for financial contributions to 
help keep Halton's $500,000 DARE program up and running. When someone ones 
asks about supporting studies -- as they invariably do, says Prasad -- the 
NMA's smoking findings will be invaluable.

Earlier this year, the Halton public and Catholic school boards withdrew 
their financial support for the program citing budget restraints.

"We need to get the support behind us," said Prasad.

The study results can likewise be offered to parents, who are justifiably 
concerned about their children, but want at least some assurances that DARE 
actually works. (Prasad said one parent is so impressed with the program 
they offered a percentage of their company's sales to DARE.)

That said, Prasad has no illusions that every child will be steered away 
from smoking, drugs and violence - just as driving instructors know it's 
impossible that none of their students will ever get into an accident.

"We hope they will have learned from this and take it through their adult 
life, but we have to practical," he said. "Still, it's incumbent on us 
teach children these life skills. Society will be better for that."

DARE America, which controls the program globally, will likely change its 
curriculum starting with the Sept. 2003 school year and Canada is expected 
to follow suit. Rather than one 17-week program, it might become three 
blocks spread over three grades, the last one in Grade 9. (Prasad said he's 
not certain if Canada will also adopt the U.S. model of teaching DARE 
starting in Grade 5 rather than Grade 6.)

One aspect that won't change, said Prasad, is that DARE will continue to be 
taught only by police officers, since -- in addition to the anti-drug 
message -- the program affords children the chance to see officers up close 
and de-mystified.

"We have to be proactive," said Prasad. "If not, all we're doing is chasing 
our tails as youths go in and out of the (legal) system."

Prasad is adamant that one important factor in the quality of life in any 
community is crime, or the lack thereof. If officers can head bad behaviour 
off at the pass, all the better.

"We're not successful by how many bad guys we catch but how much we prevent 
crime," said Prasad.
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MAP posted-by: Alex