DOCUMENT RESUME PS 029 358 ED 451 903 Lee, Brian AUTHOR California's Child Care Crisis: A Crime Prevention Tragedy. TITLE Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California, Oakland. INSTITUTION David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, CA.; James SPONS AGENCY G. Irvine Foundation, San Francisco, CA. 2001-00-00 PUB DATE 44p.; Introduction by William Kolender, Burnham Matthews, NOTE Grover C. Task, II, and Alexandra Matteucci-Perkins. Foreword by T. Berry Brazelton and Peter W. Greenwood. Also funded by the Penney Family Fund and the California Consumer Protection Foundation. Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California, 2910 Telegraph AVAILABLE FROM Avenue, Suite 300, Oakland, CA 94609 ($12). Tel: 510-836-2050; Fax: 510-836-2121; e-mail: [email protected]. For full text: http://www.fightcrime.org/ca. Evaluative (142) Reports PUB TYPE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE *Crime Prevention; *Day Care; Day Care Effects; Early DESCRIPTORS Childhood Education; Educational Quality; Outcomes of Education; *Public Policy; *Young Children Availability (Programs and Services); *California; Child IDENTIFIERS Care Needs; *Day Care Availability; Day Care Quality ABSTRACT This report compiles recent research showing that quality child care and early education can greatly reduce crime and argues that California is in the middle of a child care crisis, with a shortage of quality, affordable care. Chapter 1 of the report presents research showing that at-risk children who participate in quality child care programs are much less likely to commit crime and have serious behavior problems than children who are not enrolled in those programs. Chapter 2 argues that, faced with waiting lists and the high cost of child care, many working parents have no choice but to leave their children in a setting that in many circumstances amounts to little more than child storage. Chapter 3 presents evidence that most child care available in California falls short of the good quality necessary to effectively reduce crime and violence. Chapter 4 asserts that low-income working parents especially have difficulty finding affordable, quality care. Chapter 5 presents information on the underfunding of child care assistance programs in California. Chapter 6 argues that investing now in quality child care programs will yield such crime reductions and other benefits that California will have substantially more money for other purposes in the years ahead. Chapter 7 presents a call for action from California's leading sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys, and crime victims to make necessary investments in providing access to quality child care. The report concludes with recommendations for California policymakers. Appended is an overview of major California Child Care Assistance Programs. (Contains 94 endnotes.) (KB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as eceived from the person or organization originating it Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy " 0 0 A 4", 10 6 " '111 " - B-s. , - I e . : - B ° s ' . '6 . a. . . 8 II 0 0 II ' . . . - - - A O ' _ e $ se . . - - A 9 - - _ PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA Executive Committee Sheriff Leroy Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lou Blanas, Sacramento County Sheriff Michael Carona, Orange County Sheriff William Kolender, San Diego County Hon. Michael Bradbury, District Attorney, Ventura County Hon. James Brazelton, District Attorney, Stanislaus County Hon. J. Michael Mullins, District Attorney, Sonoma County Hon. Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney, Orange County Hon. Grover C. Trask, II, District Attorney, Riverside County Chief Burnham Matthews, Alameda Chief Bernard Melekian, Pasadena Chief Joseph Samuels, Richmond Chief Rick TerBorch, Arroyo Grande Chief Arturo Venegas, Sacramento Chief Paul Walters, Santa Ana Ms. Debbie Mahoney, Safeguarding Our Children-United Mothers Ms. Alexandra Matteucci-Perkins, The Joseph Matteucci Foundation for Youth Non-Violence Ms. Nina Salarno, Attorney General's Office, Director, Office of Victims; Crime Victims United is non-profit, non-partisan anti-crime organization led by California's FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys and crime victims dedicated to reducing crime by promoting public investments in programs proven to keep kids from becoming involved in crime. FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS organization. part of the national FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA IS website at http:// This report is available free of charge on the FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA www.fightcrime.orgica For printed copies or more information about see back cover. FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA, FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA State Med°. Maryann O'Sullivan Dear California Readers: Like all the other sheriffs, police chiefs, district CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS attorneys and victims of crime CALIFORNIA, we are determined know that who are no punishment part of Fiarr to put dangerous after the fact years of experience criminals behind can undo the bars. But and plain agony crime we also leaves in its in life. common sense wake. Rigorous tell us that we can prevent research, crime by giving kids the right start This report shows that quality child care and early against crime. education Recent long-term are among likely to studies show our most powerful that kids become criminals weapons who attend than kids left quality child multiplies the out of these care programs risk that are less programs. On the children will other hand, grow up to be Unfortunately the a threat to poor quality early families that care have the every family and would benefit to every hardest time most from it, community. getting quality and are child care most at risk of are those whose becoming involved children in crime This report without it. reveals where California is quality child falling short care. Fewer in its than one commitment to out of every quality. Child helping working five child care teachers, families get care centers in paid too little, low-income California is are leaving the rated as good families afford field at child care an alarming one million are so underfunded rate. And eligible children. programs to help that child care assistance is unavailable for over Every week, millions of parents need where their to go to work developing and leave minds and their children emotions question is in some form are being whether that of child care powerfully care will be shaped by the ready to adequate to succeed, or quality of that help them care. The whether it will learn to get family at be care that along with others and greater risk of damages their to start school becoming development and a victim of puts every crime. California This report should help every California making voter and sure that all policymaker children have understand that access to quality we all have child care. a vital stake in Sincerely, Irit, AX41--- Sheriff William Pillaisize4. Kolender San Diego County Chief Burnham Matthews Alameda Police Department District Attorney Grover C. Trask, II Riverside County Alexandra Matteucci-Perkins The Joseph Matteucci Foundation for Youth 2910 Telegraph Non-Violence Ave., Suite 300 Oakland, CA 94609 (510) 836.2050 Fax (510) A protect of Me 836-2121 Action Against Crime and Violence www.fightcrime.org /ca Education Fund Acknowledgements staff gratefully acknowledges each of the members of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA'S the Child Care Advisory Committee for the many hours they devoted to helping us unravel the intricate details, history, and dynamics of the California child care system. We appreciate their commitment of time and energy to this report. Child Care Advisory Committee Ginger Barnhart, Resource and Referral Program Manager, Bananas Carlene Davis, Program Manager of the Cal. Works Dept., Crystal Stairs Netsy Firestein, Director, Labor Project for Working Families Tim Fitzharris, Ph.D., Lobbyist, Child Development Policy Institute Dan Galpern, Policy Analyst, California Budget Project Dora Pulido-Tobiassen, Policy Director, California Tomorrow Nancy Strohl, Executive Director, Child Care Law Center Donita Stromgren, Director of Public Policy, California Child Care Resource & Referral Network Shelley Waters Boots, Research Director, California Child Care Resource & Referral Network Marcy Whitebook, Senior Researcher, Institute for Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley Norman Yee, Executive Director, Wu Yee Children's Services Policy Director Brian Lee for Special thanks is owed to FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA taking the lead in preparing this report, and to State Director Maryann O'Sullivan, Project Assistant Lauren Zeichner, and intern Jennifer Chen for their support, and to Sanford Newman, Bill Christeson, Phil Evans and Tim Mills of the national office. This report is made possible by the generous supporters of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA: David and Lucile Packard Foundation James Irvine Foundation Penney Family Fund California Consumer Protection Foundation Their grants and those of all of our supporters are appreciated. Other major supporters of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS' national operations and state offices in Illinois, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania include: The Ford Foundation David and William T Grant Foundation John D. and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation Robert McCormick Tribune Foundation Lucile Packard Foundation Edna McConnell Clark Foundation Robert The After-School Corporation Institute for Civil Society Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation Rockefeller Family Fund Chicago Community Trust Woods Fund of Chicago Sterling Clark Foundation Irving B. Harris The J.P. Morgan Charitable Trust J.M. McDonald Foundation Nathan Cummings Foundation Foundation Oppenheimer Family Fund International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Blum- Kovler Foundation 5 California's Child Care Crisis: A Crime Prevention Tragedy Contents Foreword 4 Executive Summary 5 Chapter 1: 9 Quality Child Care and Early Education Prevent Crime Chapter 2: 13 Child Storage Isn't Child CareQuality Matters Chapter 3: 15 Too Much of California's Child Care Flunks Quality Standards Chapter 4: 20 Too Many Families Cannot Afford or Find Quality Child Care and Early Education 23 Chapter 5: California Falls Short of the Investment in Quality Child Care Needed to Protect Public Safety: Financial Assistance Unavailable to One Million Eligible Kids 29 Chapter 6: Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish Policy Choices: Wasting Money and Lives Chapter 7: 31 Recommendations From the Front Lines of the Battle Against Crime: A Call For Action Appendix: 34 36 Endnotes: Copyright © 2001, FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS Foreword Preventing Today's California Children From Becoming Tomorrow's Criminals By T. Berry Braze lton and Peter Greenwood The quality of child care and early education available in California has a tremendous impact on every child, on whether he or she behaves or "acts out," excels in school or drops out, and transitions into adulthood as a productive citizen or as a dangerous criminal. Nurturing, stimulating child care teaches youngsters to get along with others, to care about others, and to start school ready to succeed, and it helps them become the contributing citizens and good neighbors we all want them to be. We know that the basis for which way a child's future will go is determined in the first few years of life. But today many parents must both work and leave their children in child care during this crucial period. Scientific research tracking children for up to two decades shows that at-risk children enrolled in quality child care programs early in life are far less likely to grow up to be criminals, and far more likely to become productive adults, than similar children who did not receive quality child care. These investments pay for themselves many times over through proven reductions in crime, remedial education, and welfare dependency. We must provide excellent child care for every child and for every working family. 1S a welcome new voice calling FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA attention to the critical importance of quality child care programs. FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS' sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys and crime victims know firsthand the dangers of neglecting our most at-risk children in their most vulnerable early years. Yet rather than simply focusing on today's criminals, the law enforcement leaders and crime victims draw on their experiences and the latest scientific research to show how California can prevent today's children from becoming tomorrow's criminals. This report should be must reading for every policymaker in California. _ - T Berry Brazelton, M.D., Professor Emeritus at Harvard Medical School, is America's best-known pediatrician. He is the author of over 200 scientific papers and 28 books. Among Dr. Brazelton's books is "Infants and Mothers" which has been read by more than one million American families and has been translated into 18 languages. Peter W. Greenwood, Ph. D., is president of Greenwood and Associates and he is the former Director of the RAND Corporation's Criminal Justice Program. Dr. Greenwood is past President of the California Association of Criminal Justice Research and he has served on the faculties of Caltech, the Claremont Graduate School, the RAND Graduate School, and the University of Southern California. Executive Summary is an anti-crime organization led by California's FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS CALIFORNIA leading sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys and crime victims. This report compiles recent ground-breaking research showing that quality child care and early education can greatly reduce crime and reveals that California is in the middle of a child care crisis, with a tragic shortage of quality, affordable care. The report's findings are as follows: Chapter 1: Quality Child Care and Early Education Prevent Crime. Recent research shows that at-risk children who participate in quality child care programs are much less likely to be- come criminals and have serious behavior problems than children who are not enrolled in those programs. A large 14-year study of children who had been 1,000,000 Eligible Children enrolled in government-funded Child-Parent Centers Not Served by State's Child shows they were half as likely to have two or more Care Assistance Program arrests as teens, compared to children not in the program. Children from North Carolina's "Smart Start" child care centers initiative were only about half as likely as comparison children to have serious behavior problems in kindergarten. A comprehensive study of child care centers in California and three other states shows that at-risk kids who attend good quality child care programs have no more behavior problems at age eight than children of college-educated parents who attend good quality programs. These recent studies replicate the success of smaller, model programs such as the High/Scope Perry Preschool program. A 22-year study of that program showed that denying at-risk children quality child care programs multiplied by five times the risk that they will be chronic lawbreakers as adults. Quality child care also promotes school-readiness. Kids Kids For Eligible For example, compared to the control group, partici- Whom Kids in Receiving pants in the High/Scope Perry Preschool program Assistance Assistance Lower had significantly higher high school grades, scored Income Unavail- higher on literacy tests at age 19 and were more Families able likely to earn a high school diploma. Based on Analysis from California Budget Project 5 8 Chapter 2: Child Storage Isn't Child CareQuality Matters. Faced with waiting lists and the high cost of child care, many working parents have no choice but to leave their children in a setting that in many circumstances amounts to little more than child storage. Chapter 3: Too Much of California's Child Care Flunks Quality Standards. Most child care available in California falls short of the good quality necessary to effectively reduce crime and violence. Fewer than one in five child care centers in California is rated as good quality, and the ratings for family child care homes are no better. Only one in 25 of California's child care centers has been certified to meet quality standards set by nationally recognized agencies. That's less than half the mediocre national average. California's child care teachers, the key to quality care, are so underpaid that it is difficult to attract enough good teachers, and even harder to retain them. Each year, about one in three child care teachers moves to another job. Chapter 4: Too Many Families Cannot Afford or Find Adequate Child Care and Early Education. Low-income working parents especially have difficulty finding affordable, quality care. Care for an infant and a preschooler costs nearly $14,000, almost $2,000 more than a full- time minimum wage worker earns. Sending an infant to a child care center costs a family nearly A Critical Shortage of Quality Child Care six times more than the annual cost of tuition for sending a child Quality ratings of California's child care centers. to a California State University school and two-thirds more than 78% sending a child to college at a University of California school. California families pay 20% more for child care and pay a higher percentage of their annual income for child care than the 18% national average. 6% Low-income neighborhoods E-10 are hardest hit by persistent child Poor or Good or Mediocre care shortages. inad- excellent quality equate quality quality Cost, Quality and Outcomes Study 6 9 Chapter 5: California Falls Short of the Investment in Quality Child Care Needed to Pro- tect Public Safety: Financial Assistance Unavailable To Over One Million Eligible Kids. Child care assistance programs are so underfunded that: Assistance in paying for child care is unavailable for over one million eligible children from low-income working families. Many of them are either left languishing on waiting lists for assistance or don't even bother applying because assistance is not available. While California is fully funding the child care needs of families on or moving off welfare, the State is denying financial aid to pay for child care to many equally low-income working families who have not been on welfare. Publicly-funded child care facilities have a harder time than ever before providing quality child care because they have to stretch each dollar thinner. The amount that the State reim- burses them for each low-income child has fallen far behind the increased cost of living over the past 20 years. Initiatives to improve "quality" get inadequate funding. Chapter 6: Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish Policy Choices: Wasting Money and Lives. Invest- ing now in quality child care programs will yield such crime reductions and other benefits that the State will have substantially more money for other purposes in the years ahead. Every dollar invested in the High/ California Sheriffs, Police Chiefs and Scope Perry Preschool program District Attorneys Say Child Care saved the public $7.16 in crime Will Reduce Crime, Save Money costs, welfare dependency, and other savings. Nine out of ten agreed: "If America does not make greater investments in after-school and educational If all of the three and four year olds child care programs to help children and youth now, from low-income families in we will pay far more later in crime, welfare and California today attended programs other costs." like Perry Preschool for two years, this would add up to an estimated We will $19 billion in government savings pay far Greater more later invest- if we don't The Child-Parent Centers program ments are invest now saved the government, the public, not woth and the participants combined, the payoff later almost $5 for every dollar invested, including $2.31 in savings to the government alone per dollar invested. George Mason University Survey, 2000 ' 10