After-school funding is a smart public investment

There’s a phrase that I've heard used many times during my three decades in law enforcement that I don’t like very much. It refers to the hours between 2 and 6 p.m. as “prime time for juvenile crime.” I’m not saying that there isn't some truth to it, because kids who are unsupervised in the hours after school are more likely to get into trouble, be it mischief or law breaking, and they are also more susceptible to the lure of gangs to fill that void. But I also know the opposite is true, because this can be an excellent time for preparing kids to make the right choices and lead productive lives.

This message comes to the forefront for me as I see the debate around federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). This program enables more than 1.6 million kids to participate in after-school programs that are developed and run by local leaders with an acute understanding of the support kids need. Local partners in the effort include schools, youth and community groups, faith-based groups and businesses.

While Congress increased funding for this program in FY 17 (added $25 million), it is a prime target during the ongoing FY 18 discussions. Some say the programs are too expensive — a burden on a federal budget that must meet all kinds of needs. That’s only because they haven’t looked at the return on investment. Research spotlighted by the national nonprofit Fight Crime: Invest in Kids organization shows high-quality programs can provide a return of $3 to $13 for every dollar that’s invested. That’s based on improved school performance, and reductions in crime and welfare assistance and increased earning potential once kids become adults.

The research also shows the potential impact when kids have the opportunity to participate in high-quality after-school activities instead. Over the long run, these programs can improve social-emotional skill development, classroom behavior, school attendance and high school graduation rates. That matters a lot to those of us in law enforcement because high school dropouts are three times more likely to be arrested and eight times more likely to be incarcerated than those who graduate.

Supporters of these programs are well aware of the need for them. Here in Missouri, 25 percent of kids — nearly a quarter of a million — are "latchkey kids," responsible for taking care of themselves after school. More than 17,000 participate in after-school programs funded by the 21st CCLC program, which often take place at local Boys and Girls Clubs and local schools. In past years the program has funded activities at six elementary, middle and high schools here in Greene County.

The activities are especially popular among working parents, 85 percent of whom say they have greater peace of mind because their kids are in after-school programs while they’re at work. There’s a good reason for that, since programs funded by the 21st CCLC in particular offer recreation, community service, arts, music and academics that improve school performance and prepare teens for future careers. Unfortunately, even funded at the current levels, only one in three families who want their kids to participate in after-school activities have access to a local program.

I don’t want to think about the consequences of losing this federal funding for our state’s programs. Join me in continuing to support the many great outcomes we achieve when kids are in safe, healthy places with robust educational activities during the after-school hours. By every measure, funding for these important programs is an investment that parents, kids and taxpayers can bank on in the years to come.

Paul Williams is chief of the Springfield Police Department.