Early childhood investment helps to prevent crime

Law enforcement leaders know that fighting crime and protecting public safety are paramount, but we also know that everyone benefits if we can prevent crime in the first place. Too often, we see young criminals emerge from dysfunctional families, made even more frustrating because we know about cost-effective preventive solutions, like evidence-based home visitingand high-quality pre-K.

Voluntary home visiting programs send trained health care professionals and social workers into the homes of vulnerable parents to answer questions about nutrition, health care, learning and appropriatediscipline. Evidence shows that these interventions reduce incarcerations of mothers and their daughters, boost family self-sufficiency, improve babies’ learning abilities and encourage moms to delay subsequent pregnancies.

High-quality pre-K can also keep young people from crime. The incarceration rate for Pennsylvanians without a high school diploma is over 5 percent, compared with 1.6 percent among those with a high school diploma or GED. Research shows that participating in high-quality pre-K can boost the likelihood of high school graduation by as much as 44 percent among at-risk kids. I can personally attest to the wealth of benefits offered through pre-K education, as my granddaughter has been in preschool the past two years. I have watched my granddaughter flourish due to involvement in pre-K, which has provided an enriching academic and social foundation for her advancement in elementary school.

The 2017-18 Pennsylvania budget plan proposes an additional $9 million for evidence-based home visiting and a $75 million boost for high-quality pre-K programs. These early childhood investments are an important crime-fighting strategy that builds strong families, strong children and strong communities. They should be a priority in the state budget. WILLIAM P. MULLEN Allegheny County Sheriff

Downtown