Maine Sheriffs, Community Leader Ask Congressional Delegation To Push For $1.5 Billion For Head Start And Educational Child Care Programs That Cut Crime

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Maine Sheriffs, Community Leader Ask Congressional Delegation To Push For $1.5 Billion For Head Start And Educational Child Care Programs That Cut Crime

Feb 14th 2007

Washington, D.C., Feb. 14-Maine law enforcement leaders and a community activist met with the state's congressional delegation and urged them to push for $1.5 billion for Head Start and educational child care programs that help kids succeed and also cut crime.

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Mark A. Westrum, Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett and activist Karen Stram met today with Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, and Rep. Thomas Allen. They are to meet with Rep. Michael Michaud on Thursday.

The senators were asked to take the lead on securing bipartisan support for increased funding for Head Start and child care. Also, they were asked to support a floor amendment this spring if the Budget Committee's 2008 budget does not include sufficient money to move toward all eligible children receiving Head Start and child care. Allen can play a key role in fully funding these programs since he serves on the House Budget Committee.

The sheriffs are members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Maine, a bipartisan anti-crime organization of 76 police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys and violence survivors.

"Children need positive life lessons to show them how to be responsible adults," Westrum said. "Head Start and other early education programs give them those lessons."

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids released a report last month showing that 68 percent, or over 8,000 eligible Maine children, are not served by Head Start or Early Head Start because of inadequate federal funding.

"Research has shown what my colleagues in law enforcement and I have known for years-high quality preschool programs like Head Start dramatically reduce crime," Brackett said. "Head Start and quality child care help kids graduate so they can earn more in future jobs."

A study of the high-quality Perry Preschool in Michigan found that at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds who were not able to enroll in these programs were five times more likely to become chronic lawbreakers by age 27 than kids who participated.

"Head Start is good for Maine's economy," Stram said. "By narrowing the learning gap and improving the educational achievement of our at-risk kids, Head Start helps these children become competitive with their peers in the workforce."