ew DARE program with a slightly altered curriculum, which claimed to be new and improved. However, this new program received about the same evaluation of the old program. Researchers said that the new DARE program was just a ploy to distract the public away from their previously received criticism. A second study was prompted after the alterations to the program but was never published due to the near identical results of the first study. Politics coupled with no alternative prevention programs appears to be allowing for the faulty DARE program to continue. The positive aspects of DARE such as the improved attitude with police, and stronger social skills are great. However, this is not why the DARE program was created. It was created to educate 5th and 6th graders about the dangers of taking drugs, which was believed to stay with them their entire life. This is not the case though. The program isnt ever going to have the success it believes it has or should have until they take into account we are all individuals. Each child needs to be looked at individually to assess his/her risk and do its best to reduce it. The DARE officers do not investigate the majority of factors that put adolescents at risk for alcohol and drug abuse today. For example, loss of loved one(s), high levels of stress, problems in relationships with parents, coming from a single parent family, family tolerance of deviant behavior, early sexual experience, among many other factors that can lead to drug abuse are not addressed by the DARE program. The only way we are going to change our childrens future is if we put together a more individualized program. A program that works on each individual instead of generalizing the whole student body as the DARE program does. The program needs to continue to tell the students about the dangers of drugs. But if the program is to make any headway in tackling the future abusers, the program needs to focus on each ch...
