D.A.R.E.

[Page 187]Since shortly after its inception in 1983, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program has been the most widespread substance abuse prevention program in the United States. Since its birth, D.A.R.E. has been highly popular with law enforcement agencies, parents, and school administrators. However, virtually all empirical tests of D.A.R.E.'s effectiveness have found that the program does not reduce substance use and abuse rates in participants. These findings, and their dissemination into the public realm via mainstream media reports, led to a public overhaul of the program that began in 2001 and continued until 2009. Through the adoption of new tactics and development of more specialized curriculum, the new D.A.R.E. program boasts of increased efficacy through the use of evidence-based practices. While the revised ...