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Proviso Probe

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

GOV, is DARE worth tax money? [FP]

A Forest Park business owner is upset Forest Park canceled its DARE program. So she has started "Hugs Not Drugs". See Forest Park Review (Seth Stern).

Business people like to portray themselves as being more serious about decisions because they have to take into account real world results.

OK. What does the Goverment Accountability Office say about DARE?
In brief, the six long-term evaluations of the DARE elementary school curriculum that we reviewed found no significant differences in illicit drug use between students who received DARE in the fifth or sixth grade (the intervention group) and students who did not (the control group). Three of the evaluations reported that the control groups of students were provided other drug use prevention education. All of the evaluations suggested that DARE had no statistically significant long-term effect on preventing youth illicit drug use. Of the six evaluations we reviewed, five also reported on students� attitudes toward illicit drug use and resistance to peer pressure and found no significant differences between the intervention and control groups over the long term. Two of these evaluations found that the DARE students showed stronger negative attitudes about illicit drug use and improved social skills about illicit drug use about 1 year after receiving the program. These positive effects diminished over time. [Source: Open Minds Industry Resources Library. Open Minds is the research firm that conducted the GAO study.]

If the programs don't work, why should the Village of Forest Park divert resources from other stuff the police department is doing?

10 Comments:

  • It's a feel good program. It makes parents, teachers, the community, and the police, feel and look like they are really doing something to help kids not get hooked on drugs.

    Truth is, the best way to prevent drug use in kids is to set a good example - parents, teachers, local communities (how bout no beer tents at carnivals and other social or SPORTS gatherings?) and for parents to be good parents and spend time, give attention to their kids.

    What a community or society can do, it would be better to get rid of TV and other advertising that make drug and alcohol use look sexy and glamorous. That has way more impact than DARE programs.

    By Blogger K3KVE, at 9:16 PM, April 19, 2006  

  • kankakee voice has it right. there's always something attractive about superficial responses like DARE. they provide a safe job for police, they give classroom teachers a break, their message is bland and nearly unarguable. only problem is DARE has next to nothing to do with why drugs are sold and consumed.

    By Blogger RetiredPastorNancy, at 9:20 AM, April 20, 2006  

  • The answer is to legalize drugs for adults.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:41 PM, April 20, 2006  

  • If legalizing drugs is the answer, what's the question?

    By Blogger Carl Nyberg, at 6:48 PM, April 20, 2006  

  • What other stuff is the Forest Park Police Department doing? You mean lieing, cheating, fixing tickets & police brutality. Maybe they should save the money and send the officers themselves to some civil ethic classes.

    Seriously, young kids in 3-5th grades are not the ones hooked on drugs, they are usually still listening to mommy and daddy and not listening to peers. I agree with kv.

    NOTE: Should a child get involved with the drug scene that doesn't necessarily mean the parents or the lack of DARE program are to blame.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:20 PM, April 20, 2006  

  • DareISay said...
    What other stuff is the Forest Park Police Department doing? You mean lieing, cheating, fixing tickets & police brutality. Maybe they should save the money and send the officers themselves to some civil ethic classes

    Maybe you overlooked;

    1. Junior Police Academy
    2. Climb with a cop
    3. Police and Fire Athletics

    To begin with, three programs initiated by Mayor Calderone to begin bridging the gap between community and youth who are wondering the streets with no apparent discipline or direction.

    Time and energy are developing into filling the real or perceived gap in youth development and direction.

    Maybe you overlooked the reactivation of the Youth Commission in Forest Park, in collaboration between volunteers and police; programs developed to instill good values and leadership in youth.

    Is it possible that these initiatives are being masked by the current day affairs with complete and utter disregard for the foundational programs being deployed.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:00 AM, April 22, 2006  

  • To begin with, three programs initiated by Mayor Calderone to begin bridging the gap between community and youth who are wondering the streets with no apparent discipline or direction.

    Did these programs work on the gang infestation you are having at the park? How many (numbers only please), of the gang members that were roaming around now have direction and discipline - you do have a real survey to back up what you are saying.

    Or were these the Caucasion behaved children whose parents already suck up to the Mayor for positions. Look at your targeted audience and address those needs.

    The only gapped bridged by the officers are the gaps between the Mayors office and the Police Station. Nice try though. Your propaganda leaflets may work on some but not all. We see whats really going on behind the scenes.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:03 PM, April 24, 2006  

  • Is it possible that these initiatives are being masked by the current day affairs with complete and utter disregard for the foundational programs being deployed

    ...or is it possible that current days affairs of unethical behavior keeps the officers and government from collaborating with the public to form "real world" foundational programs. Nobody wants the textbook crap that doesn't apply to real world.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:39 AM, April 25, 2006  

  • What we have here is a failure to get involved. Read these blogs and you would think parents a jummping to get involved. Hardly the case.

    Only belly aching and few people willing to help.

    Complain complain complain, you all should shut up and putt up

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:19 AM, May 01, 2006  

  • My belly is not aching and I participate as much and more than anyone else.

    Read the thread...is dare worth tax mone? -- that would be a no (imo).

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:00 PM, May 30, 2006  

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