NPR Report Features Oklahoma City Police Chief

Making the Case for Voluntary Home Visiting
On NPR, Oklahoma City Police Chief says programs are key to preventing crime

A story featuring research from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids aired on NPR's All Things Considered and Morning Edition. NPR reporter Pam Fessler interviewed Oklahoma City Police Chief and Fight Crime: Invest in Kids member Bill Citty about his support for programs proven to prevent child abuse and neglect and ultimately crime.

Click here to read the report online.

Click here to listen to audio of the broadcast.

Below is an excerpt:

Morning Edition

Short-Term Cuts, Long-Term Consequences For Kids
by Pam Fessler

...the state is facing a $1.3 billion budget deficit and, while lawmakers say they want to protect children, there are lots of competing demands for funds, and cuts are likely.

But Bill Citty, Oklahoma City's police chief, says these are the kinds of programs that pay off in the long run.

"If you really want to seriously deal with the issue of fighting crime, you invest in the types of programs that are going to give at-risk kids a healthy start," he says.

Children who've been abused are more likely to become violent criminals when they grow up. So police chiefs and sheriffs across the country are pushing to fund efforts to prevent abuse and neglect, even though it might compete with their own short-term interests.

"We need additional police officers, yeah, but it's a balance," says Citty. He adds that he can put criminals in jail all day long, but it won't get at the root of the problem.

His officers see the problems firsthand. They're often the first to respond to reports of abuse. And there's plenty of it in Oklahoma, a state where teen pregnancy and drug abuse are serious concerns.