D.A.R.E.
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Policing differs from law enforcement agencies as policing involves overseeing and maintaining public safety and social order as law enforcement agencies investigate and enforce criminally defined activities (Dantzker, 2003). Often times the term police or policing brings to mind the cop ‘walking the beat,’ but policing involves much more than walking around waiting to stop a crime in progress. Prevention and deterrence are among the many tasks involved in policing. The recent drug problem has led to the start of a program entitled Drug Abuse Resistance Education, in hopes of deterring children and teens from using drugs. D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) programs are police officer led classroom lessons attempting to teach children from Kindergarten through 12th grade how to avoid drug abuse, gang activity, and violence (D.A.R.E., 1996).
Why was Drug Abuse Resistance Education Programs Started?
Drug use in America is a problem the majority of the people in America tend to ignore. 60% of the world’s illegal drug market is in the U.S.A, although America only makes up 6% of the world’s population (Drew, 1999). High school students are becoming the targeted market to unload the illegal drugs throughout America. Teenagers and other young children are being introduced to marijuana, hallucinogens, inhalants, tranquilizers, cocaine, meth, and other illegal drugs on a daily basis (Drew,1999). Drug abuse leads to other criminal and deviant behavior, social problems, and problems within the family among other issues. Courts overloaded with drug cases, overwhelming national and international demand for D.A.R.E., and the devastating number of youth using drugs and participating in gangs led to the installation of D.A.R.E. programs throughout America. The Drug Abuse Resistance Educational program began in Los Angeles around 1983. The success rate has led to implementation in 75% of schools...
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