Question: What are the two best ways to reduce violent crime in Maine?

Answer: Increase high school graduation rates and reduce child abuse and neglect.

That’s the conclusion of the Juvenile Justice Task Force, a panel on which I was proud to serve. Led by Supreme Court Justice Leigh Saufley, the task force found that substantial progress in these two areas could result in a significant reduction in violent crime among our young people. My more than 20 years in law enforcement tell me the task force has got it right.

Consider this: Recent studies indicate that being abused or neglected sharply increases the risk that children will grow up to be arrested for a violent crime.

The best available research indicates that of the 3,664 Maine children who had confirmed incidents of abuse or neglect in 2006, more than 170 will become violent criminals. That’s roughly one of every 20 abused children in Maine who are turning to violent crime. These adults could avoid becoming such violent criminals were it not for the abuse and neglect they have endured.

The latest incidents on child abuse and neglect are equally alarming. Over a three-year period, Maine Medical Center has seen traumatic head injury cases involving babies triple.

In 2008, five Maine children under the age of 3 were killed by adults who were supposed to be caring for them. Local law enforcement agencies have investigated more than a dozen recent cases where very young children were seriously injured at the hands of parents or caregivers.

As the task force pointed out, it does not have to be this way. It concluded that most abuse and neglect in high-risk families can now be prevented. Maine Healthy Families, Parents as Teachers and Parents Are Teachers Too are operating programs that help parents and caregivers avoid abuse. They are helping put parents on the right track to care for their children. These in-home parent coaching programs provide the skills to help parents understand the health and nutrition needs of newborns, promote their child’s development, make their home safe for kids and avoid discipline that can turn into abuse.

One particular program, the Nurse Family Partnership, has also had a positive impact on reducing abuse and neglect for at-risk kids. These are low-cost and effective programs, especially when compared to the at least $2.5 million price tag charged to taxpayers for just one criminal who spends the majority of his or her adult life behind bars.

Besides addressing child abuse and neglect, increasing high school graduation rates is another very effective way to reduce crime. High school dropouts are more than three times more likely to be arrested than their peers who are high school graduates. High school dropouts are also eight times more likely to be incarcerated.

While Maine does a better job with graduation rates than many other states, 20 percent of our high school students fail to graduate on time. That’s simply too many.

Statistics show that staying in school, even one year longer, reduces the likelihood that a young person will turn to crime.

Graduating from high school has a tremendous positive impact. As graduation rates go up, violent crimes decrease. A study by two prominent economists found that a 10 percentage point increase in graduation rates would reduce murder and assault rates by about 20 percent, preventing more than 20 murders and more than 900 aggravated assaults in Maine every five years.

High dropout rates also weaken our economy. In addition to the tendencies toward crime, dropouts are low-skilled, earn less, pay fewer taxes, and are more likely to rely on state services for support.

Reducing dropouts will not only save lives, it will also save money. If Maine could raise male graduation rates by 10 percent, the state would save approximately $29 million every year, including almost $6 million in reduced crime costs alone.

Increasing graduation rates and reducing child abuse and neglect have proven benefits for Maine. It is my hope that state policymakers will heed the recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Task Force and embrace state programs that prevent child abuse and neglect and high school dropouts. The price we will pay for not addressing these issues now is simply too great.

Phillip L. Crowell Jr. is chief of the Auburn Police Department and a member of the Juvenile Justice Task Force and Fight Crime: Invest In Kids.