Law Enforcement Leaders from the Mid-Hudson Region Urge School Officials to Apply for Millions Available for Pre-K Programs That Are Proven to Prevent Future Crime and Save Taxpayers Money

Aug 23rd 2007

Eastchester, Aug. 23-Rockland County District Attorney Michael Bongiorno, Harrison Police Chief David Hall and Westchester County Commissioner/Sheriff Thomas Belfiore visited a pre-kindergarten program at the Eastchester Child Development Center in Westchester today to urge school officials to apply for pre- Kindergarten grants before the application deadline passes. While there, the law enforcement leaders sat down with a class of pre-kindergarten age child and read them the story, "Officer Buckle and Gloria."

DA Bongiorno , Chief Hall and Commissioner/Sheriff Belfiore are all members of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS NEW YORK, a bipartisan anti-crime organization of 300- plus police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, other law enforcement leaders and violence survivors. It is part of a national organization of more than 3,000 law enforcement members. Meredith Wiley, state director of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS NEW YORK, joined the members during their visit.

Bongiorno, Hall and Belfiore said high quality pre-kindergarten not only prepares children to succeed in school, it also prevents crime, saves New York state residents taxpayers money and is good for the economy.

Governor Spitzer and the Legislature added a total of $146 million for preschool in this year's budget in the first year of an intended multi-year expansion. Spitzer has made providing preschool to all four-year-olds within four years a priority. The money has already been allocated on a district-by district basis, but each school district must apply for the funds. Winn and Ryan urged each school district to apply for the new money that has been allocated on a district-by-district basis for this year.

Bongiorno said a long-term study of the High/Scope Perry Preschool in Michigan found that at-risk kids excluded from the program were five times more likely to grow up to become chronic lawbreakers than those who attended the program.

By age 40, those left out of the Perry Preschool Program were twice as likely to have been arrested for violent crimes, four times more likely to have been arrested for drug felonies, and seven times more likely to have been arrested for possession of drugs than those who attended the program.

"Stopping crime does NOT just mean catching criminals and keeping them locked up," Bongiorno said. "But public safety is best served by stopping crime before it starts. The evidence is clear that kids who get the right start in school are less likely to end up on the wrong side of the law."

Belfiore said although the money has been specifically allocated to several school districts in the Albany area, the funds would go to waste unless the districts apply for them and that law enforcement officials are willing to work with school officials to help eligible school districts take full advantage of the funds.

"Our jails are full of men and women who did not get off to a good start in life," Belfiore said. "We have a real opportunity to make a difference for thousands of New York's children. It would be a real shame to walk away and leave the money on the table because the truth is that we either get our act together now or pay later. We either pay now or pay later -- either way we'll all pay."

Bongiorno said he found the situation ironic, since for years, law enforcement leaders have fought to prevent budget cuts to pre-K and begged for increased funding and now that there is new money for pre-K programs, there is a danger school officials won't apply for it.

According to FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS NEW YORK State Director, Meredith Wiley, " several school districts in the Mid-Hudson region have yet to apply for pre-k funds that have already been allocated, leaving over $10 million on the table that could otherwise help get hundreds of kids on track for school success and help prevent crime in the along run."

"High quality preschool is a remarkable investment," Bongiorno said. "It improves the long-term educational and economic prospects of children as they grow into adults and more than pays for itself in the long run. It is a relatively small investment that pays big dividends."

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids New York has more than 300 police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, other law enforcement leaders, and violence survivors as members. It is part of the national FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS organization of more than 3,000 law enforcement members.

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