Early Education Policies Help Reduce Crime

The President of United Way of Texas, Karen Johnson, recently cited a Texas A&M study that reports that for every dollar invested in good quality pre-kindergarten education, at least three and a half dollars is returned to Texas communities. These taxpayer savings are accomplished long-term: kids who go through high-quality pre-k have much higher rates of graduating from high school, earn more as adults, have fewer instances of special needs, and have much less to do with the criminal justice system.

Also, in Iowa, law enforcement groups are calling for more spending on early education because high school dropouts are 3.5 times more likely to be arrested, and 8 times more likely to be incarcerated than those who do not drop out of high school, and since early education powerfully reduces the rates of dropouts, officials are pushing for more investment in today’s youth. Almost 70% of state and federal prison inmates did not graduate from high school, and if the male graduation rate increased by 10% in Iowa alone, it would save the Iowa state government $88 million each year.

In addition, scientific studies show a strong causal connection between more education and lower crime rates. More schooling leads to higher wages, more job opportunities and therefore much less incentive to engage in illegal activities to earn money. Also, classrooms tend to help teach values that help guide children and eventually young adults away from criminality, reduce risk-taking behaviors, and helps to teach patience, and promotes positive interaction between youngsters. Once these fundamentals are laid down, adolescents and young adults are far more likely to become invested in productive careers, higher education, and family values, stopping the cycle of crime before it starts .

It’s a win-win-win situation every child gets more, better, earlier education, problem kids get started on the right path, and taxpayers save money.