Jeremy Trav~s,D~rector October 1994 

The D.A.R.EeBProgram: A Review of Prevalence, 

User Satisfaction, 

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 

wmbination of local control and centralized coordination. 

A recent study, conducted by the Research Triangle 

Institute (RTI) and sponsored by the National Institute of 

Justice, 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 program2 Created in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department 

and the Los Angeles Unified School District as a substance abuse prevention program for grades K-12, 

D.A.R.E.@uses a core curriculum consisting of 17 hourlong weekly lessons taught to fifth- and sixth-graders. 

Since it was founded, D.A.R.E.@has expanded to encompass programs for middle and high school students, conflict resolution, gang prevention, parent education, and after-school recreation and learning. The curriculum 

has also been revised over the years as a result of 

research findings and is now more interactive; that is, it promotes active participation by students. D.A.R.E.@has 

also established a Scientific Advisory Board to aid in selfevaluation and recommend program changes. 

The Questions Asked About D.A.R.E.@ The RTI evaluation was two-fold. In the first part the 

hesearchers looked at program structure and operations, 

how the program is perceived by program coordinators at 

and Effectiveness 

the school-district level, and factors that make for effective implementation. The second part of the study used 

"meta-analysis," a method of analysis involving synthesis of previous studies, to examine the short-term effectiveness of D.A.R.E.@'score curriculum. The researchers 

also compared the effectiveness of D.A.R.E.@to other 

school-based substance abuse prevention programs. 

Among the questions the researchers sought to answer 

were: 

H How extensively is D.A.R.E.@implemented 

nationwide? How is D.A.R.E.@managed and funded at the national, 

State, and local levels? 

How does D.A.R.E.@compare with other substance 

abuse prevention programs in community support, satisfaction, and effectiveness? 

"User Satisfaction" Is High 

The study confirmed some of the beliefs about the 

prevalence of D.A.R.E.@and the extent of support for it. 

D.A.R.E.@has been extremely successful at placing 

substance abuse education in the Nation's schools. More 

than half (52 percent) of the school districts nationwide 

have adopted the program in one or more of their 

schools. This is a rate far higher than for the next most 

frequently used curricula. 

Support for D.A.R.E.@is strong, as is user satisfaction 

and the involvement of teachers. School district drug use 

prevention coordinators generally indicated that support 

for D.A.R.E.@among students, school staff, parents, 

community representatives, and law enforcement agencies is strong. Ratings of other substance abuse prevention programs were also high, but approval of D.A.R. E.@ 

was substantially stronger. In assessing the D.A.R.E.@ 
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even more likely than those in districts serving predominantly white students to rate students' receptivity to 

D.A.R.E.@ as very high. 

Not only is D.A.R.E.@ widespread and popular, but 

demand for it is high: more than 40 percent of the drug 

use prevention coordinators plan to expand the program, 

and 21 percent of those whose districts do not have the 

program said they are interested in adopting it. 

Impact of D.A.R.E.@ 

The meta-analysis of D.A.R.E.@ programs showed them best at increasing students' knowledge about substance 

abuse and enhancing their social skills. The effect of 

D.A.R.E.@on attitudes toward drugs, attitudes toward the 

police, and self-esteem were more modest. Its short-term effects on substance abuse by fifth- and sixth-graders 

were small, however. Only the findings for tobacco use were statistically significant. These findings should be 

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

Ncrtionul Institute of Jr4stic.e 

Wushington,D.C. 20531 

Official Business 

Penalty for Private Use $300 

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general competencies. A revised D.A.R.E.@ curriculum 

that includes more participatory learning was piloted in 

1993 and is being launched nationwide this fall. The 

effects of the new curriculum on learning and behavior 

may in turn call for a new evaluation. 

Notes 

1. For the purposes of this study, substance abuse was 

defined as use of marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco by 

school-age children. D.A.R.E.@ targets multiple drugs, 

including alcohol and tobacco. 

2. The full report, Past and Future Directions of the 

D.A.R. E.@ Program: An Evaluation Review, by Christopher L. Ringwalt et al. (Research Triangle Park, NC: 

Research Triangle Institute, September 1994), will be 

available from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, at 800-851 -3420. 

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