Name: Raquel Mendes

How education reform can fight crime

BY DYLAN MATTHEWS July 30, 2012 at 11:01 am

Noted Swedish criminal Lisbeth Salander -- The Washington Post.

Release of new report strengthens crime prevention argument for early childhood education
CONTACT: Ted Eismeier, ted@fightcrime.org. Desk: 202-464-5350, Cell: 315-335-9222
Washington, DC (June 9) Law enforcement leaders are citing new research published in the prestigious journal Science today showing that high-quality early care and education programs can help reduce offense arrests, incarceration rates and substance abuse among adults who as children attended high-quality pre-school programs compared to adults who did not have access to these programs.

Greats education names are studying the numbers from this issue published in this important journal Science that showed what we have ever known, the high -quality education can fight crime. Released by the University of Minnesota, this program followed two kinds of the kids. The first group received good education and the second one not. The number

of these children were 1,400 low-income from poverty Chicago areas, and 957 children from this group had access high-quality pre-school. This program is the longest follow-up childhood program made until now. This research gave them important evidences about the relation of high care and programs and reduction of the future crimes, and save lots of money from taxpayers, said Miriam Rollin, national director of Fight Crime. To prevent is easier and chipper than to fight crime. Today, governments are spending more than 10 times on corrections costs than they are giving on kids programs. Early care and education programs saved tax from the communities and they can preserve young people safety and happy. More than 600 members of Fight Crime, from different parts of the country have written to the Congress asking them to improve high-quality early care and education program to improve public safety. Law leaders who are members of Fight Crime are pressing the Congress not to cut these programs and to make sure that others parts of the country will receive the same opportunity.
Here is a quick summary of what the new research shows: As adults, those left out of the preschool were 27 percent more likely to have been arrested for a felony by age 28 (24.6 percent vs. 19.3 percent) and were 39 percent more likely to have spent time in jail and/or prison (21.1 percent vs. 15.2%). Those who did not receive the preschool program were 39 percent more likely to suffer from drug or alcohol abuse (23.0 percent vs. 16.5 percent). Those males and females whose parents had been dropouts benefited even more. The rate of felony arrests for those in that group who did not attend the preschool was 81 percent higher than for those who did attend (25.2 percent vs. 13.9 percent). All those who attended the preschool were 21 percent more likely to graduate from high school on time, (44.3 percent vs. 36.6 percent); 31 percent more likely to have attended a 4-year college (14.7 percent vs. 11.2 percent); and, as they began their earning careers, were already earning 7 percent more a year ($786 per year).

The cost-benefit is clearly evident. This research showed that for each one dollar spent in the early Child programs more than ten dollars is saved in incarceration results.