Presentation to: California State Association of Counties’

Administration of Justice Policy Committee

November 19, 2013

District Attorney Nancy O’Malley Alameda County

Brian Lee, J.D.Deputy State Director

www.fightcrime.org/ca

Who We Are

• Membership organization comprised of 400 Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, District Attorneys and Violence Survivors in California

• Part of a National Organization with Over 5,000 Members

Our Mission

• Take a hard look at the research

• Find what really works to keep kids in school, off the streets and away from crime

• Share information about evidenced-based crime-prevention strategies with policymakers, the media, and the general public

Issues We Work On

• Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention

• Early Childhood Education

• After-School Programs

• Interventions for Troubled Kids

• High School Dropout Prevention

In California …

• 174,746 violent crimes committed annually

• 133,000 incarcerated adults• $11 billion spent each year

to incarcerate adults in prisons/jails

• 7 out of 10 prisoners do not have high school diploma

Quality Preschool Increases Graduation Rates

Schweinhart, et al., 2004

By Age 40, Percent of Children Who Have

Graduated High School

Schweinhart, et al., 1993

Chronic lawbreakersat age 27

By Age 27, Children Not in Preschool Were Five Times

More Likely to Commit Violent Crimes

By Age 18, Children Not in Preschool Were 70% More Likely to Commit Violent

CrimesAn arrest for violence

by age 18

Reynolds, et al., 2001

Quality Preschool Saves Money

Schweinhart, et al., 2004

For every $1 invested in the High/Scope Perry Preschool program

Over $16 was saved

Proposed Federal-State Partnership

• $75 billion every year to lock up criminals vs. $75 billion over 10 years for quality early education & care

• 2 million more high school graduates, including 260,000 in California over 10 years.

•  $75 billion in cost savings

Policy Landscape

• State: $171 million cut from state preschool over last 5 years; $25 million reinstated by Governor in 2013

• State: Transitional kindergarten for older 4-year-olds

• Federal: Strong Start for America’s Future (Harkin-Miller-Hanna bill)

Questions & Answers

For additional information or copies of our research reports, please contact:

Brian Lee

blee@calfightcrime.org

Meghan Moroney mmoroney@calfightcrime.org