Cuts to after-school programs carry risks

Illinois’ anti-crime arsenal contains no weapons more powerful than the proven programs that help kids get the right start – like quality educational child care, after-school programs, child abuse prevention, and intervention programs that get troubled kids back on track. Yet today, inadequate investments in these tested strategies leave thousands of Illinois children at needless risk of becoming violent or delinquent teens and adult criminals — and leave every Illinoisan at needless risk of becoming a victim.

Police know that when school adjourns for the day, officers will be responding to calls about juvenile crime. The hours between 3 and 6 p.m., when school-aged children are unsupervised, it prime time for children to engage in illegal and/or unhealthy activities. That’s why I’m concerned that Gov. Pat Quinn may effectively end the only statewide, state-funded after-school program. A study of five public housing developments with Boys & Girls Club after-school programs found that they experienced 50 percent less vandalism and 37 percent less drug activity than the housing developments without after-school programs.

Proposed funding cuts could force Teen REACH after-school programs to end services, causing over 20,000 Illinois youth at 200 sites to lose access. They will lose opportunities to get homework help and participate in important team-building activities. Unfortunately, they will also no longer have access to a supportive environment that deters them from risky behaviors and crime.

I know that there are many difficult decisions ahead for state lawmakers concerning the budget, but we should not cut programs that we know reap crime-prevention rewards and have an impact on communities, citizens, local businesses, and most importantly, give children the opportunity and guidance to make the right choices instead of the wrong ones that could potentially affect the rest of their lives.

Raymond J. Rose

Chief of police

Mundelein