Through the Eyes of a Crime Prevention Official

"High-quality early education programs that give kids the right start in life are among the powerful weapons we have in the fight against crime."
                                                                        --Fight Crime: Invest in Kids

 
Texas has great opportunities to reduce violence and crime while strengthening communities. The results of a national survey show that 71% of law enforcement leaders choose providing "more after-school and educational child care programs" as the most effective strategy for reducing youth violence and crime.  State specific research from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University demonstrates that every $1.00 invested in high quality pre-k yields at least $3.50 to Texas communities through savings to the public school system as a result of fewer special education and remedial costs; savings to the criminal justice system due to reduced adult crime rates; and savings to the child welfare system as a result of early intervention and fewer cases of child abuse and neglect.  When we invest in high-quality early care and education like child care, Head Start, and public school pre-k we support our children's social, emotion, and cognitive developement, which ultimately leads to stronger, healthier communities.

High quality early care and education can make a powerful difference for the future for many Texas children. We know that a poor education can have devastating impact on the lives of children and youth. Texas Appleseed, a public interest law organization, reports that although the average youth is age 16 when incarcerated, the typical youth in the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) has the reading and math skills of a 5th grade student.  Moreover, more than 80% of prison inmates in Texas are high school dropouts.  To reverse these trends, advocates from across the state of Texas have partnered with the Children's Defense Fund of Texas and the University of Houston Center for Children, Law and Policy, and are actively identifying strategies to dismantle what the Children's Defense Fund National office in Washington, D.C. has called the Cradle to Prison Pipeline.  One of the core recommendations to ensure children enter a path to education and life success is ensuring access to high quality child care, Head Start and public pre-k programs.  This month, TECEC has compiled several resources outlining the link between early education and crime prevention.  To learn more about the Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Campaign and how you can get involved in efforts at the state level, please visit http://www.cdftexas.org/TexasSummit.php .  
 
 
Community Tools:
 
Early Education and Crime Prevention Texas Fast Facts
 
Preventing Crime with Pre-kindergarten: A Critical Investment in Texas' Safety

 
Positive Behavioral Support Program and Training 

 
Key Organizations:
 
Fight Crime Invest in Kids  
 
Children's Defense Fund of Texas   
 
Communities in Schools Texas  
 
Texas Appleseed

Texans Care For Children   
  
Texas Network of Youth Services   
 
 
Relevant Reports:
 
America's Child Care Crisis: A Crime Prevention Tragedy 
 
 
America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline Report  
 
 
Head Start Reduces Crime and Improves Achievement

 
Implementing Policies to Reduce the Likelihood of Preschool Expulsion
 
 
Prekindergartners Left Behind: Expulsion Rates in State Prekindergarten Programs

 
School or the Streets, America's Dropout Crisis
 
 
Relevant Events:

Children's Defense Fund of Texas Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Campaign Follow-Up Forum . October 3 in Houston at the Power Center.  For more information including a pending date change, please visit: http://www.cdftexas.org/TexasSummit.php
  
Don't forget to register to vote by October 6!    For voter registration applications, visit
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqvr.shtml .

Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TAEYC) Annual Conference October 16-18 in Corpus Christi, TX. For more information, please visit
http://www.texasaeyc.org/conference/default.asp

Texans Care For Children Second Annual Speaker Series, "Leaving the Juvenile Justice System".   November 12 in Austin at the Capitol Auditorium. For more information, please visit http://www.texanscareforchildren.org/innerpage.php?pageid=189 .