By Linda Spice
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MILWAUKEE — Local law enforcement called for increased funding for Head Start and other quality child care, based on new research that suggests such programs can help prevent 1,050 Wisconsin children from becoming criminals each year.
A report released Tuesday by the national nonprofit organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids says that at-risk children who don’t participate in early childhood programs are five times more likely to later commit violent crimes than similar kids who do.
“Law enforcement veterans like myself know that to win the fight against crime, America’s commitment to holding criminals accountable must be matched by its commitment to preventing kids from becoming criminals in the first place,” Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said in a prepared statement.
According to the study, the child care and development block grant is the principal source of federal early childhood care assistance, providing Wisconsin with $82.9 million for subsidies for low-income families in 2007.
Yet only 35 percent of the 72,562 eligible state households with children ages 3 to 5 received the child care assistance. The organization argues more funding is needed.
Flynn, Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and Racine County Sheriff Robert Carlson released the report during a news conference Tuesday.
Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent William Andrekopoulos, also in attendance, said in an interview that the district has invested heavily in kindergarten to grade three funding as well as full-day kindergarten for 4-year-olds.
“This shows that investing in children early on really saves money long-term,” he said. “You have less incarceration.”
Copyright 2008 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel