Michigan Law Enforcement: Dropout Rates Fueling Violent Crime
Aug 20th 2008
LANSING) - Law enforcement leaders from FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS MICHIGAN met at the State Capitol today to push for increased high school graduation rates to help cut crime rates.
The group of sheriffs, police chiefs and prosecutors released a report showing that by increasing graduation rates among males by 10 percentage points, 140 murders and nearly 7,300 aggravated assaults will be prevented in Michigan every year. The new report, entitled "School or the Streets," includes research showing that high quality preschool programs are the best deterrent against the state's rising dropout rates.
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie said, "The data we have presented makes the argument for us that we need to fully fund preschool for at-risk children." Mackie added, "I speak for our entire membership when I say, we would much rather see kids in a graduation cap and gown than in a pair of handcuffs and an orange jump suit."
A study of the Perry Preschool in Ypsilanti, Michigan, showed that children left out of the program were five times more likely to be chronic offenders by age 27 than those who participated in the program. Similarly, studies of the Chicago Child Parent Center early education programs showed that kids left out of the program were 70 percent more likely to have been arrested for a violent crime by age 18 than those who participated.
"We know that high-quality preschool is one of the best weapons in our arsenal to increase graduation rates and to fight crime," said Clinton County Sheriff Wayne Kangas. "It is an investment that we know works and it's certainly cheaper to invest at the front end than it is to house a criminal for life."
Nearly 70 percent of all inmates in our nation's prisons failed to earn a high school diploma. Research shows that high school dropouts are three and a half times more likely than graduates to be arrested and eight times more likely to be incarcerated. In Michigan, an estimated three out of ten high school students fail to graduate on schedule.
Kathy Pelleran, State Director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Michigan said, "Far too often, today's dropouts are tomorrow's criminals. We need to set our sights to turn this crisis around." Pelleran added, "Education will help our children to better compete in a global society. We need more kids with brains and less with bullets."
Eric King, retired Mt. Morris Twp. Police Chief, said, "By raising male graduation rates by 10 percent, the state would save approximately $560 million every year-including $350 million in reduced crime costs." King added, "To prevent dropouts we ought to be as willing to fund a child in preschool as we are to guarantee prison cells for criminals."
Wyoming City Police Chief James Carmody said, "By fully funding Great Start and Head Start, we can cut our crime levels as we realize increased graduation rates. The public's safety is worth meeting that goal."
The law enforcement officials recognized the recent $10 million expansion for Great Start Readiness by state lawmakers and called on Congress and the Legislature to further expand quality early education programs for at-risk children.
FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS MICHIGAN is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization led by more than 400 Michigan sheriffs, police chiefs, prosecutors and victims of violence. Nationally, there are more than 4,000 members.
###
