COULD Jamaica’s massive crime problem be as a result of poor early childhood development? Could the actions of the country’s vicious criminals be traced back to their development before age eight?

That may be the case, according to renowned child development expert Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan who indicates that the first six years to eight of a person’s life largely determines whether they become an academic genius, or a career criminal.

“We know that patterns of violence and aggressive behaviour in adolescents and adults can be traced to patterns of behaviour and social problems in early childhood,” Samms-Vaughan said last Tuesday evening.

Citing a United Kingdom study which traced the lives of 400 people from birth to 48 years, “the best predictor of being a criminal in adulthood was the experiences and behaviour of the child prior to eight years,” said Samms-Vaughan, who chairs the Early Childhood Commission.

The UK study found children who became criminals in adulthood were:

* excessively daring;

* performed poorly in school;

* from a disruptive family, particularly with the mother absent;

* had a parent who was convicted of an offence;

* from a large family; and

* had poor housing.

“The daring and difficult child at six goes on to become the young adult who doesn’t keep a job, engages in drugs, drives illegally, has irresponsible sexual activity, hangs about with an anti-social group, and gets arrested at 18 years,” the study showed.

At 32 years old, this person remains unemployed or in a low-paying job, frequently changes homes, gets involved in fights, and is already convicted of a crime.

The cycle is repeated with the children this person has through irresponsible sex, said Samms-Vaughan, who is also professor of child health, child development and behaviour at the University of the West Indies.

She recommended the Head Start programme in the United States, which achieved improved outcomes in academics among lower-income families. But she also lauded Cuba’s early childhood programme for producing much higher outcomes in education than other countries in the region, despite Cuba’s economic difficulties.

In the case of Jamaica, Samms-Vaughan noted the strides the country has made in early childhood development. However, she said Jamaica only had 10 per cent of early childhood teachers with a diploma or bachelor’s degree, which was way behind Trinidad and Tobago’s 30 per cent.

The Early Childhood Commission chairperson was speaking the Heritage Education Funds International Excellence Awards for Teachers in Early Childhood Education at the Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew.

This year’s recipients of the award were Desrine Mitchell, principal of Kintyre Basic School in St Andrew, and Errol Campbell, grade six teacher of McAuley Primary in Spanish Town.

They each received US$1,000 and a certificate. The programme is in its fifth year.

Pull quote:

‘We know that patterns of violence and aggressive behaviour in adolescents and adults can be traced to patterns of behaviour and social problems in early childhood… The best predictor of being a criminal in adulthood was the experiences and behaviour of the child prior to eight years’

Box and shade:

Children likely to become criminal

* Excessively daring

* Perform poorly in school

* From a disruptive family (with absent mother)

* Has a parent who was convicted of an offence

* From a large family

* Has poor housing

Hertiage child 2 cap:

From left: This year’s recipients of Heritage Education Funds’ International Excellence Awards for Teachers in Early Childhood Education Errol Campbell, a grade six teacher at McAuley Primary School, and Desrine Mitchell, principal of Kintyre Basic School with Jason McGuire, president and CEO of Heritage Education Funds International; Lyndie Headley, agency director for Heritage Education Funds International; and Dr Maureen Samms-Vaughan. The occasion was the awards ceremony held Tuesday at the Knutsford Court Hotel. (Photo: Marlon Reid)