prevent<strong>in</strong>g future crimes.What is the cost to Oregon <strong>in</strong> future crimes fornot provid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> for all eligiblechildren?Us<strong>in</strong>g the best research evidence available, wecan estimate the crime prevention potential ofprovid<strong>in</strong>g high-quality <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> to all ofOregon’s eligible children currently notreceiv<strong>in</strong>g the program. Most children <strong>in</strong> <strong>Head</strong><strong>Start</strong>, like most children <strong>in</strong> general, do notbecome crim<strong>in</strong>als. However, one study us<strong>in</strong>gnational data and track<strong>in</strong>g children <strong>in</strong>toadulthood shows that approximately one <strong>in</strong> tenof the children with family <strong>in</strong>comes below thefederal poverty guidel<strong>in</strong>es will be charged witha crime later <strong>in</strong> life. 44Approximately 16,000 children <strong>in</strong> Oregon wereeligible for <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> <strong>in</strong> 2005. Based on onenational study on the proportion of <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong>eligible children who go on to be booked orcharged with a crime, we can expect thatapproximately 1,600 of these children – 10percent of the 16,000 children eligible for <strong>Head</strong><strong>Start</strong> — are likely to be charged with a crime. 45The rest will be law-abid<strong>in</strong>g citizens.How much of a difference can <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> make<strong>in</strong> prevent<strong>in</strong>g future crime?As described earlier <strong>in</strong> this report, onelongitud<strong>in</strong>al study us<strong>in</strong>g national datademonstrated that children who attended<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> were 8.5 percent less likely to becharged with a crime as youth or adults thanwere their sibl<strong>in</strong>gs who did not attend <strong>Head</strong><strong>Start</strong> but attended other preschool programs<strong>in</strong>stead. 46 So even compared to <strong>Head</strong>-<strong>Start</strong>eligiblechildren who attended anotherpreschool program, children who attended<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> had a lower rate of future crim<strong>in</strong>albehavior. 47While <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong>’s 8.5 percent reduction <strong>in</strong>future crim<strong>in</strong>als is a compell<strong>in</strong>gaccomplishment, we have evidence that thehighest-quality early childhood programs canachieve even greater reductions <strong>in</strong> future crime.One such program, the Chicago Child-ParentCenters (CPC), has been shown to cut overallcrime among juveniles by one-third (32.6percent). 48 The Chicago Child-Parent Center isa large-scale early <strong>in</strong>tervention that providescomprehensive educational and family-supportservices to economically disadvantagedchildren. The CPC program is the secondoldestfederally funded preschool program <strong>in</strong>the U.S. and is among the highest quality earlychildhood programs available. For example,every CPC program lead teacher has aBachelor’s degree. With improvements to <strong>Head</strong><strong>Start</strong> program quality, especially <strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong>the number of teachers with four-year degrees,<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> could achieve even higher rates ofcrime prevention, similar to the Chicago CPCprogram.Therefore, we can expect that provid<strong>in</strong>g highquality<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> to all eligible children <strong>in</strong>Oregon can reduce the number of <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong>graduates who go on to be crim<strong>in</strong>als by at least8.5 percent and up to as much as one-third.<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> could prevent as many as 500 at-riskchildren <strong>in</strong> Oregon from becom<strong>in</strong>g crim<strong>in</strong>alseach year.Because these are rough estimates, we will useballpark numbers to illustrate our po<strong>in</strong>ts. (Seeappendix A for specific numbers).Research shows that 8.5 percent of these 1,600potential crim<strong>in</strong>als <strong>in</strong> Oregon could beprevented from becom<strong>in</strong>g crim<strong>in</strong>als if they allreceived <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong>. That is approximately 140children prevented from becom<strong>in</strong>g crim<strong>in</strong>alseach year. (About two-thirds of them arealready receiv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong>, so Oregon isalready reap<strong>in</strong>g part of this unrecognizedreduction <strong>in</strong> crime each year.)If <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> were improved <strong>in</strong> quality to thelevel of the Chicago Child-Parent Centersprograms – <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g quality improvements <strong>in</strong>8 FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS <strong>OR</strong>EGON
pend<strong>in</strong>g reauthorization legislation – aboutone-third (32.6 percent) of those 1,600 childrencould be steered away from crime, orapproximately 500 children each year.Prevent<strong>in</strong>g 500 future crim<strong>in</strong>als is fairlyimpressive; but we should consider that thereductions <strong>in</strong> the number of crim<strong>in</strong>als adds upover time and some crim<strong>in</strong>als are very active:• Prevent<strong>in</strong>g 500 crim<strong>in</strong>als is a per-yearestimate; the reduction <strong>in</strong> futurecrim<strong>in</strong>als from one <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> schoolyear will be multiplied many times overfor each graduat<strong>in</strong>g class of childrenprovided the highest-quality <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong>experience.• Many of those crim<strong>in</strong>als commit onlyone, fairly m<strong>in</strong>or crime. But others go onto commit multiple crimes over theirlifetime, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g violent felonies.Therefore, a decrease <strong>in</strong> the number offuture crim<strong>in</strong>als will cut an even greaternumber of future crimes.The federal government must <strong>in</strong>crease its<strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> Oregon’s high-quality <strong>Head</strong><strong>Start</strong> for all eligible at-risk children. In do<strong>in</strong>gso, Oregon can count on not only improv<strong>in</strong>gthe number of children who succeed <strong>in</strong> schoolbut also mak<strong>in</strong>g a substantial reduction <strong>in</strong> the180,750 total crimes and 10,520 violent crimesthat happen every year <strong>in</strong> the state. 49Law Enforcement Backs <strong>Invest</strong>ment <strong>in</strong>Quality Early Care and EducationProgramsWhen law enforcement leaders nationwidewere surveyed by the <strong>in</strong>dependent poll<strong>in</strong>g firmMason-Dixon Poll<strong>in</strong>g and Research, anoverwhelm<strong>in</strong>g 71 percent chose,“more afterschoolprograms and educational child careprograms”as the most effective strategy forprevent<strong>in</strong>g youth violence and crime. 50 TheOregon Association Chiefs of Police, theOregon State Sheriff’s Association, and the<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> Cuts <strong>Crime</strong> <strong>in</strong> OregonOregon District Attorney’s Association haveendorsed <strong>in</strong>vestments <strong>in</strong> quality earlychildhood care and education programs, ashave national law enforcement organizationssuch as the Fraternal Order of Police and theNational District Attorneys Association. 51 It istime to ensure that more children have accessto educational early childhood programs like<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> that are proven to save money andcut crime.ConclusionOver 10,000 violent crimes are committed <strong>in</strong>Oregon every year. More than 30,000 juvenilesare arrested <strong>in</strong> Oregon annually. Despite thebest efforts from law enforcement, thesepatterns will cont<strong>in</strong>ue, unless we take seriousmeasures before – not after – such tragediesoccur.It’s time to <strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> what works to preventcrime. The research evidence is clear: highqualityearly education programs like <strong>Head</strong><strong>Start</strong> are crucial to reduc<strong>in</strong>g crime. And withquality improvements, <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> can makeeven more dramatic cuts <strong>in</strong> future crime.Provid<strong>in</strong>g high-quality <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> to all eligiblechildren <strong>in</strong> Oregon can prevent as many as 500at-risk children each year from becom<strong>in</strong>gcrim<strong>in</strong>als.That is why the members of FIGHT CRIME:INVEST IN KIDS <strong>OR</strong>EGON are call<strong>in</strong>g on Oregon’selected leaders to ensure that <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong>services are available to all eligible children andthat program quality is enhanced by <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g<strong>Head</strong> <strong>Start</strong> teacher qualifications and provid<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>creased compensation to reta<strong>in</strong> highlyqualifiedteachers.9