Dear Editor:

As local law enforcement leaders, we frequently speak about crimes after they have been committed and about our efforts to apprehend the criminal. But today we want to talk about an opportunity to stop criminal activity before it happens; before there are victims and shattered lives. 

We belong to the national anti-crime organization Fight Crime: Invest In Kids which is made up of chiefs, sheriffs, and prosecutors nationwide. In Maine, almost all of our sheriffs and about 80 percent of our chiefs are members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. As members, we focus on research-proven programs that help children get the right start in life, stay on track, and avoid contact with crime.

Why do pre-K programs reduce crime? The research tells us what a critical time the first five years of life are for a child’s physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. Research also shows that children who have experienced high-quality early learning are less likely to be held back in school. These programs also help kids achieve higher reading and math scores, and that these increases persist into later grade levels. These quality pre-K programs can substantially increase a child’s likelihood of graduating from high school, which is critical when you consider that six out of ten prisoners nationwide lack a high school diploma. 

The Maine Legislature is considering LD 1799 a bill to increase opportunities for all children to have access to quality pre-K. It’s a great investment in our future and deserves passage.

Sheriff Todd Brackett 

Lincoln County

Chief Doug Snyder

Boothbay Harbor