The 6 percent that listened to the police officers in the fifth grade were not the ones you had to worry about. That must equal thousands of youngsters. It makes me think that we need better ways of viewing what is realistic to expect from this and other programs. Our society is always looking for the one big quick fix. One of the places we should start is by setting reasonable goals and performance measurements that are not simplistic.
Measureable results are important.
The trick is to understand what is the right thing to measure and hope people will report on it thoughtfully and responsibly. But most kids I know who used to take DARE now drink, smoke and use drugs. DARE should be an after-school activity for only the kids who want to go. One of the things most kids like best about DARE is missing the regularly scheduled classes. I also feel bad for parents who depend on DARE to keep their kids from drinking, smoking or using drugs.