Jackson Area Law Enforcement Urge Early Childhood Investment to Reduce Crime

Jun 18th 2009

JACKSON, MISS. (June 18, 2009) -- Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin, Hinds County Prosecuting Attorney Malcolm O. Harrison and Jackson Police Chief Tyrone Lewis held a joint news conference in the State Capitol Rotunda Thursday to address their concerns about the connection between the lack of quality early care and education and later crime in Mississippi. 

They released a new report called “High-quality Early Care and Education: The Key to Crime Prevention and School Success in Mississippi.” The report examines the research showing that quality early childhood programs increase school success and prevent children from turning to crime later in life. 

“When kids don’t start school ready to learn, they are set up for failure. This puts our public safety in jeopardy if they drop out of school and turn to crime. We need to give kids the best start possible so they have a foundation for a successful life,” McMillin said. 

The law enforcement leaders cited a 40-year study of the Perry Preschool Program, which followed two groups of Michigan children. The at-risk children who did not attend the high-quality early care and education program were five times more likely to be chronic offenders by age 27 compared to similar children who did participate. 

Children who benefited from the early learning program were also 44 percent more likely to graduate from high school. Nationwide, nearly 70 percent of state prison inmates failed to receive a high school diploma.

“This research shows that early childhood programs are some of the most effective weapons we have to fight crime. If we invest in kids during those first five critical years, we won’t need to spend money on room and board for career criminals later on,” Lewis said. 

Children who benefit from high-quality early care and education are also less likely to become teen parents or collect welfare. Those who attend early education programs are also more likely to pursue higher education and earn more income as adults. 

McMillin, Harrison,and Lewis urged Mississippi’s state lawmakers to consider new support for early care and education and boost the quality of existing child care services. They also urged U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, to help increase funding for Head Start, Early Head Start, and other early childhood development programs. 

The federally-funded Head Start program is a leading provider of early childhood services for at-risk kids in the state, with 36 percent of all Mississippi 4-year-olds enrolled in the program. Research studies have found that Head Start graduates are less likely to repeat grades and require special education than kids who do not attend, thus saving education dollars in the short term as well as taxpayer dollars in the long term. 

Harrison said that more support is needed at the state and federal level to ensure that quality early childhood programs are available and affordable to more families. 

“A year of quality early education can cost $7,300 a year or more—that’s more than annual tuition at Ole Miss. This makes it unaffordable for many families, leaving kids without a solid foundation and communities at risk for crime. If they miss that early opportunity to learn, it has a dramatic impact on their long-term chances for success,” Harrison said. 

The report was compiled by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a national anti-crime organization led by 5,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors and violence survivors, including 54 in Mississippi. 

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