 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
PREVENTION CURRICULA
INTRODUCTION
Schools have traditionally been the arena for prevention programs, as schools have access to the majority of youth. In addition, school-based programs have the potential to address diverse adolescent groups (Wyrick, et al., 2001; Coker and Borders, 2001; Eisen, et al., 2000; Gotfredson, 1998). Until recently, little was known about what program components and delivery methods lead to successful intervention of teen "risk taking" (Eisen, 2000). In the study of school-based alcohol and drug use prevention programs, classroom observations conducted by researchers revealed the central strategy used by teachers for preventing substance abuse among adolescents as basic information dissemination. Providing the "facts" about substance use and consequences has not been shown to significantly change student attitudes and substance-related behavior, however (Wyrick, et al., 2001, Sherman, 2000, Gotfredson, 1998). Despite emphasis on research-driven approaches by the mid 1990's, a 1997 federally-funded study of school-based prevention programs in 19 school districts by Silva, et al. Found that few districts seemed familiar with research findings, or showed evidence of considering research findings when planning their prevention strategies. Further, few districts conducted program evaluations to assess their programs' effectiveness (Mendel, 2000).
It is not unusual to find prevention efforts school-based prevention in the spotlight, many of the precursors of delinquent behavior are school related, and therefore likely to be responsive to change through school-based intervention (Gottfredson, 1998). Further, schools have traditionally been the site of both alcohol and drug education and the collection of adolescent substance abuse data. The centrality of schools to prevention efforts is highlighted by research revealing that school environment and individual academic performance affect a young person's inclination to engage in risky behaviors, and that problem behavior such as alcohol use or risky sexual behavior, often begins during the school-age years (Northeast Capt, 1999, Stoval 1999). Taking these factors into account, many believe that implementing prevention programs in the school setting increases the chance of offsetting delinquency at several stages during a child's development.
THEORETICAL CONTEXT
Pure information dissemination has not been shown to be an effective prevention method (Gottfredson, 1998; Botvin, February 17, 2002). One preeminent example if the shortcomings with this approach is the negative findings from the evaluation of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, which became the most prominent became the most popular and prominent school-based substance abuse program in the nation, and was initially embraced by police departments, parents, and politicians. In fact, the program was eventually active in 80% of U.S. school districts. The program did not show signs of reducing drug use among children exposed to the curriculum, however (Miller, 2001; Mendel, 2000; Sherman, et al., 1998; Rosenbaum and Hanson, 1998).
In general, the "classic" approaches of information dissemination instructional programs, fear arousal approaches, and moral appeal approaches are ineffective in reducing delinquency.
TYPES OF PROGRAMS
Prevention Curricula provides instruction through curricula to students to teach them factual information, increase their awareness of social influences to engage in misbehavior, expand their repertoires for recognizing and appropriately responding to risky or potentially harmful situation (i.e., drug use, gang involvement, violence), increase their appreciation for diversity in society, improve their moral character, improve conflict resolution skills and encourage accountability.
EVIDENCE OF IMPACT
Gottfredson (1998) identified comprehensive instructional programs that focus on a range of social competency skills (e.g., developing self-control, stress management, responsible decisionmaking, social problem-solving, and communication skills) and that are delivered over a long period of time to continually reinforce skills as effective techniques for preventing crime and delinquency.