Corrective Education Company inks exclusive partnership with D.A.R.E.

Corrective Education Company CEO Darrell Huntsman and D.A.R.E. president Frank Pegueros

SALT LAKE CITY — Corrective Education Company has announced an official and exclusive partnership with D.A.R.E., and the building of a curriculum aimed at juveniles, named D.A.R.E. to Make the Right Choices, which utilizes Restorative Justice to dissuade youth from shoplifting.



This early intervention, low risk offender Restorative Education for Juveniles program combines the CEC Restorative Education curriculum with D.A.R.E.’s approach to changing youth behavior and attitudes. The core objective is to teach students good decision-making skills to help lead safe and healthy lives.



The No. 1 crime committed by juveniles is shoplifting, according to the Global Youth Justice Organization. For those youth who do make bad decisions, they are providing second chances before the offenders become part of the criminal justice system.



The curriculum consists of extensive research done with juveniles to identify the most effective means of influencing their behavior. Before collaborating with D.A.R.E., CEC teamed up with Brigham Young University social science professors and youth criminologist Moises Prospero to generate the program content.



 “Our partnership with D.A.R.E. is a monumental one for CEC. The core of our business is based on reducing recidivism and giving first-time offenders, particularly our youth, a second-chance at righting their wrongs, and we feel that being proactive with such a renowned organization provides a mutual benefit to our retail partners and to society,” stated Darrell Huntsman, CEO of CEC.



Frank Pegueros, CEO of D.A.R.E., added, “We are pleased to join Corrective Education Company in our efforts to change lives and communities by teaching youth good decision-making skills that will help them lead safe and healthy lives, free from violence, crime, substance abuse and other dangerous behaviors.”



CEC’s offerings are activated within the loss prevention departments of mass retailers, specialty retailers and grocers. Based upon the principles of Restorative Justice, this program provides the victim and the offender options for repairing the harm committed against the retailer. By stopping juveniles early in the process, CEC is able to prevent them from future criminal activity. D.A.R.E to Make the Right Choices helps retailers deal with petty crime differently for the 1st time, and allows them to keep youth from entering the juveniles criminal justice system.



The D.A.R.E. program is taught in all 50 states, and 49 other countries. All curricula are science-based, age appropriate, and written by a national panel of curriculum and prevention experts. D.A.R.E. programs are implemented in more than 70% of United States school districts and in 43 countries around the world.



D.A.R.E. has expanded beyond substance abuse to counter other high-risk behaviors, such as bullying, gangs, and Internet safety. There are more than 15,000 D.A.R.E. officers and deputies are in over 10,000 communities nationwide.