The 19th: Prof. Paris Shares Expertise on How Early Childhood Education Reduces Crime
Studies show that children enrolled in high quality early childhood education–especially those under 5 years of age–are 70% less likely to be arrested for violent crimes later in life. The Biden administration’s social spending package plans to invest heavily in early childhood education, giving states and cities the chance to opt into free education for 3 and 4 year olds. BU School of Social Work Professor Ruth Paris provided her expertise to The 19th on the investment’s annual return and its benefits to children and society.
Excerpt from, “Seeking More Ways to Reduce Crime, Officials Look to Universal Pre-K” by Mariel Padilla, originally published in The 19th.
Ruth Paris, an associate professor at the Boston University School of Social Work, said creating supportive child care environments beginning as early in life as possible is the ‘best way to set the stage for overall positive youth development.’
Young children are more likely to develop the skills needed to cope with adversity later in life when they are surrounded by nurturing adults, which includes caregivers and teachers. For every dollar spent on high-quality comprehensive childhood education programs for children from vulnerable backgrounds, Paris said, there is an estimated 7 percent annual return on investment for preschoolers. One study found that an influential early childhood program in North Carolina — though more than $18,500 per year — generated a benefit of 7.3 dollars for every dollar spent on it.”
