Maine Fact Sheet

Quick two-page fact sheet

Preventing Crime with Pre-Kindergarten: A Critical Investment in Maine's Safety

Early Education News

Maine's law enforcement leaders work everyday to put dangerous, violent criminals behind bars. From years on the front line fighting crime, police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors know that we can beat back crime with a commitment to investing in pre-kindergarten, Head Start and educational childcare that keep kids from becoming criminals in the first place. The evidence is in. Quality pre-K readies kids to learn, reinforces respect and responsibility for others and reduces behavior problems that can spiral out of control. Research confirms that at-risk children left out of quality pre-kindergarten are five times more likely to grow up to become criminals by age 27 than children in pre-kindergarten. Quality pre-kindergarten also saves $17 for every $1 invested. Yet, due to underfunding, last year 68% of Maine's children eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start did not receive it, an estimated 8,500 children.

Members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Maine have initiated a statewide tour of Head Start centers to raise awareness of the crime prevention benefits of Head Start and other quality pre-kindergarten programs. Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Maine estimates that by providing high-quality Head Start to all eligible at-risk Maine children, as many as 150 children could be prevented each year from committing crimes when they grow up. To reap the best crime-fighting benefits from Head Start, Maine needs to invest in Head Start and improve the training and education of teachers.

Reports

All Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Maine reports on Pre-K, early education, child care and Head Start:

"When I see the bright faces of Head Start kids eager to learn and get along with other kids, I know they have a head start in growing up to become healthy and responsible adults. If we don't make Head Start available to at-risk kids now, I'll be arresting too many kids when they're adults later."

-Sheriff Scott Story, Waldo County

Membership Info >

• Head Start narrows the literary skills gap by nearly half between children in poverty and all U.S. children.
• Eight out of 10 kindergarten teachers polled say that poorly prepared kids that didn't attend pre-kindergarten negatively impact well-prepared kids.