Gang violence amongst teenagers erupting in gunfire on the streets of Anchorage show that no Alaskan community is isolated from this trend. We lock up a higher percentage of our population than any other nation on earth. Police Chiefs across the nation have issued a collective statement that we can't possible build enough prisons to house our criminals, and that finding the answer to crime on the streets begins in our Head Start and early childhood programs. Everyone has a stake in assuring that child has every positive learning opportunity. All parents and caregivers need to know about the importance of a nurturing environment on a child's development.
Parents are the most important teacher and shaper of the zero to three population.
Prisons are very expensive. A small fraction of that amount invested in quality support programs for our youngest kids would reap major reductions in down stream costs. It has never been so crystal clear that a healthy, nurturing start marks the beginnings of hope. Take the latest in solid research on the development of children, and, Incorporate the vital importance nurturing behavior from the first moments of a child's existence through their third birthday, and Show us the direction we need to take in policies and practices necessary for positive outcomes for all Alaska's children.