LETTERS: Pre-kindergarten helps reduce future crime

To the editor:

While education experts may debate the points made in your Dec. 9 editorial (“Pre-K takeaway”), we want to point out a proven fact that the article did not include: Expanding quality preschool is one of the best tools we have for reducing future crime.

We say this as three Nevada law enforcement leaders who recently met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to encourage his support for the Strong Start for America’s Children Act. During that meeting, we discussed studies that followed children who participated in preschool programs in Illinois and Michigan for decades into their adult lives. Researchers found they were far less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system and far more likely to graduate from high school.

This research is well-detailed in a report, “I’m the Guy You Pay Later,” recently released by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids (www.fightcrime.org), a nonpartisan organization of 5,000 sheriffs, police chiefs and prosecutors. As members of the organization, we strongly support a new state-federal partnership to expand quality preschool to support kids today and lower crime in years to come.

Michael Haley, Ken Furlong and Neil Rombardo

RENO/CARSON CITY

The writers are, respectively, the Washoe County sheriff, the Carson City sheriff and the Carson City district attorney.