Breaking the Cycle of Child Abuse and Reducing Crime in Illinois: Coaching Parents through Intensive Home Visiting

The more than 200 police chiefs, sheriffs, states attorneys, leaders of police officer organizations and violence survivors who are members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois, and the over 3,500 members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids nationwide, have taken a hard-nosed look at what worksand what does not workto cut crime and violence. Extensive evidence shows that children who suffered abuse or neglect are more likely to grow up to commit crimes. Solid research shows that nearly half of all abuse and neglect in high-risk families can now be prevented by programs that also prepare children to succeed in school. Preventing abuse and neglect will directly protect children and save lives. Sharply reducing abuse and neglect will also save the public hundreds of millions of dollars in Illinois while greatly reducing the number of children growing up to be violent criminals.