The D.A.R.E. Program: A Review of Prevalence, User Satisfaction, and Effectiveness

Prevention programs have proliferated in response to concern about substance abuse, particularly among young people. An understanding of the effects of these programs is only beginning to emerge, however. One such program is the school-based Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E.) ® . D.A.R.E. ® is distinctive for a number of reasons, among them: its widespread adoption throughout the country; its use of trained, uniformed police officers in the classroom; and its combination of local control and centralized coordination. The D.A.R.E. ® Program: A Review of Prevalence, User Satisfaction, and Effectiveness discusses a recent study, conducted by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, that confirmed the prevalence and popularity of D.A.R.E. ® ; revealed that its appeal cuts across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines; and indicated considerable support for expansion of the program.