Finally back in LA. More blogging (and more Voices from the Road) later today. In the meantime……
Last Friday the Justice Policy Institute issued the first in a series of new reports that look into the effect of “positive social investments” on crime. In this new report they present the findings that “… states that invest more in education have lower rates of violent crime and incarceration.”
Well, DUH!
Here are the specifics of some of their findings:
Researchers have found that a 5 percent increase in male high school graduation rates would produce an annual savings of almost $5 billion in crime-related expenses.
States that had higher levels of educational attainment also had crime rates lower than the national average. Nine out of the 10 states with the highest percentage of population who had attained a high school diploma or above were found to have lower violent crime rates than the national average, compared to just four of the 10 states with the lowest educational attainment per population.
States with higher college enrollment rates experienced lower violent crime rates than states with lower college enrollment rates. Of the states with the 10 highest enrollment rates, nine had violent crime rates below the national average. Of the states with the lowest college enrollment rates, five had violent crime rates above the national average.
States that made bigger investments in higher education saw better public safety outcomes. Of the 10 states that saw the biggest increases in higher education expenditure, eight saw violent crime rates decline, and five saw violent crime decline more than the national average. Of the 10 states that saw the smallest change in higher education expenditure, the violent crime rate rose in five states.The risk of incarceration, higher violent crime rates, and low educational attainment are concentrated among communities of color, who are more likely to suffer from barriers to educational opportunities. Disparities in educational opportunities contribute to a situation in which communities of color experience less educational attainment than whites, are more likely to be incarcerated, and more likely to face higher violent crime rates.
Over the years, a number of California research entities—like Rand and the Little Hoover Commission—have trotted solid research suggesting the same thing, namely that its cheaper to educate people than to lock them up—and that there’s a direct link from one to the other. But has it changed public policy? Not really.
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UPDATE: In looking at this issue (which I posted VERY LATE last night, after freaking hours of driving) I see that commenter Pokey brought up a valid point. The state-by-state comparison in this report looks to be somewhat…control free. Or more accurately, if those who wrote the study in any way controlled for population and poverty level, they didn’t tell us.
HOWEVER—and this is a big however —the basic, extremely important point still holds, and that is as follows: whatever the study, the relationship between education level and the likelihood of committing crimes and going to prison is significant. People who stay in school longer: 1. develop more skills, 2. have more life and work options, 3. feel better about themselves and their possibilities, 4. have generally less personal shame, 5. are more likely to view themselves as necessary to their communities….and so on. All the aforementioned, particularly when combined, are major predictors in terms of crime.
Put another way, when looking at why one kid in a poor, troubled, dysfunctional family succeeds and another one doesn’t, things like skills, sense of self, and sense of place in community are measurably a big, big part of that equation.
The first statistic the report’s summary cites-–that a 5 percent increase in graduation rate produces a five-billion dollar savings in terms of crime-related expenses—is the most telling one. This is precisely how we need to be thinking when it comes to public safety—-and it’s a POV that both liberals and conservatives should be able to collectively embrace.
In other words, when it comes to lowering crime—follow the money. When you look at the big picture, what uses of tax dollars are most likely to produce effective results? To say that we should put more money into education than incarceration isn’t bleeding heart sentiment. This is a core conservative value in the truest sense: when deciding upon government expenditures, do what’s cost effective. Get your money’s worth. Every single available study tells us that money spent to keep kids in school and get them to graduation, and hopefully on to college, gives a big bang for the buck, and saves money—and lives—down the line.
Related existential question of the day: When it comes to public policy, why don’t we start acting as if the truth was actually true?
We can reduce the crime rate by locking up people who will not finish high school–sort of a preventive maintenance. That will give them an education.
Seriously, areas which have higher education rates can achieve that for many reasons which go beyong government policies. Many of the blue states have decaying urban centers unlike other states or the suburbs. I suspect that these nests of crime existed first and create the lower graduation rates rather than the other way around.
This is made worse by Mexican gangs originally formed by people who came here illegally and who did not receive their education here. Sending back and blocking illegal immigrants would be more cost effective than constructing and maintaining new classrooms for them at our expense.
This issue is more complicated than saying that we need more classrooms.
This report could have been titled – “Rural Race and Public Safetyâ€Â
The report seemed to highlight that rural mostly white states seemed to have less crime and higher educational attainment. If this report could have been controlled for race and population density it might have some meaning. Otherwise it is just one more of the liberal nonsense chicken/egg studies.
Pokey South Carolina has a higher crime rate than CA. In fact Columbia, the state capital, has a higher murder rate than NYC. Guess where its HS grad rate is?
rlc, you’re not stupid enough to believe that picking out one example proves a rule one way or the other, are you? Let’s look at suburbs of Columbia to see if your rule holds true for them, too. The people who flock to the inner cities had problems before they started school. I think that liberals are afraid of being politically incorrect, so they ignore many of the cultural issues related to the problems for fear of offending.
Michael Vick finished college and yet look at what he did, which was acceptable by the cultural standards of some but not me. Did he need more classrooms?
I just ran across this statement from ecomyths that is worth sharing, whether it’s about studies on global warming or crime and classrooms.
Junk science often is characterized by three compounding elements:
– a reliance upon observational rather than experimental studies
– asserting causation where correlation exists, and;
– media attention that recognizes neither of the first two characteristics.
Do you really think the BIG City of Columbia is the same as NYC? Point is this – it ain’t just the big bad inner city that has a crime wave.
rlc, almost every city of any size has crime problems. I never said that they didn’t. However, the blue states have major decaying urban centers versus smaller and less dominating cities throughout the south and west. What you’re arguing has little to do with seeking honest solutions.
Pokey got to the heart of this quickly by saying “(the report) is just one more of the liberal nonsense chicken/egg studies.”
Except the “Blue” states – where most of those “Decaying urban centers” are have lower rates of all the socially dysfunctional items – crime, illegitimacy, bankruptcy, divorce, etc – than those “Red” (more rural) states. Also lower poverty rates and higher levels of education. Sorry.
rlc, now you’re expanding the decaying urban centers to encompass the suburbs. Keep the focus where the problems are.
Celeste, I believe there is (controlled) empirical evidence from well designed studies which supports that additional units of education serves to reduce the recidivism rate of those who have been incarcerated. Advancing the notion of education for those in prison, however, provokes a predictable response.
LotS, I’ve found that liberals can always find some (flawed) studies by other liberals to prove whatever they want. The decide what the answer should be and then construct the data and omit other data to prove that.
As sad as it is, the fate of the kids is usually cast from the day that they are born–many born to a single crack mother, living in public housing in a high crime area, no dad to help, temptations and bad influences all around, on and on and on. I’ve seen how some of these kids are mistreated when they are only four or five years old. Forcing them to get high school degrees won’t change the psychological damage and bad cultural influences ingrained in them at an early age.
What I see are well-meaning people avoiding some of the politically incorrect but real solutions and substituting phony ones costing a lot of money so as to say, “It’s not your fault and look how much we care with this money.”
I can’t say what it’s like in L.A., but, where I live, the differences in values, single mothers, crime, and education between whites and blacks is obvious. But, no one wants to say that they want to improve the black culture that keeps them down. Instead, we are given one program after another, many counter-productive such as more government funds for more illegitimate children. They blame slavery and society, which has shown to be a big help since the laumch of “The Great Society” and after trillions of dollars.
We need to quit messing with all the surface problems and so-called solutions and get to the root problems to make real change–if we care about really helping, even at the risk of offending.
Sorry Woody but I’m talking The city of NEW YORK, CHICAGO, LA – not the suburbs – where according to the unform crime reports of the FBI violent crime (including homicide) showed a dramatic drop starting in the early ninties and continuing till recently.
I spend most of my time underwater and even I know that the more education someone has, the less likely he is to end up in prison.
I am no expert on this subject, but I am damn sure most jails are not filled with M.I.T or Harvard graduates. Ok, maybe a few corporate CEOs are in prison, but they are more slimy snakes.
George Carlin on Education
What’s the “American Dream”?
rlc, you’re all over the board.
“South Carolina has a higher crime rate than CA. In fact Columbia, the state capital, has a higher murder rate than NYC.”
“Except the “Blue†states – where most of those “Decaying urban centers†are have lower rates of….”
“Sorry Woody but I’m talking The city of NEW YORK, CHICAGO, LA – not the suburbs”
It’s hard to pin down your point if you keep moving its base.
Woody old boy are you being deliberately obtuse. There is nothing contradictory in those statements but I’ll repeat myself and try to use small words so please read along very, very slowly this time:
The Crime rate (violent crimes)for THE CITY of Columbia SC is higher than the crime rate (violent crimes) of the CITY of New York.
The violent crime rates for other CITIES in “Blue States” were also lower – LA, Chicago etc. This trend (lower crime rates)started in the early 90’s and continued until recently when it stalled.
Overall the crime rate is higher in SC than in CA.
There is that too hard for you?
Reggie we need more like you to help take a bite out of crime!
I might have to take the BIG bite out of retarded republicans like Woody who would probably defend republican child molesters as a matter of pride or principle.
No matter what the topic or subject it is the fault of liberals or Democrats, although I think it was a damn Liberal Democrat L.A. worker who caught me at the lake. And it might be a Liberal Democrat who has been feeding me stale chickens. Maybe Woody has some theories about those damn liberal zoo employees?
reggie the alligator forgets the Democratic and ACLU child molesters, I guess because those were not given the same coverage my major media and have been applauded by Congressional Democrats. But, you have to remember that an alligator doesn’t have much of a brain.
rlc, it still stands that your comments are all over the place. You say A and then I say, but look at Z. So you change A to B to C…. You can’t have a discussion over a moving target and with no references.
Sigh!
Much like Lord Keynes in a similiar situation lamented on an obtuse interlocuter, I too must announce that Woody simply refuses to understand me!
The real burden is on the communicator, but some unable to present clear and consistent information resort to blaming their audience. However, I do know that Keynes was wrong, so it might follow suit that you are as well.
Celeste,
Sorry to take up so much space on your blog, but I am in writing mood.
I wanted to dispel the other corporate myth they tell “we can’t find enough qualified employees in the U.S., I have heard that song for years. I personally see too many college students working as waiter/waitresses and other service types of jobs to believe there aren’t enough qualified employees in this country. Many friends and I worked in internship programs back in the 70’s. If a company wants a cheaper employee they just need to call the career placement office at any University. I am sure most people know many college students who would love to work in their chosen field of study. Every professional person including engineers and programmers do many tasks which can be “outsourced†to a college student working as his intern. There are just too many recent college graduates not working in their chosen field for me to believe there is a worker shortage, poor kids have to accept whatever job is available when they graduate.