Death Penalty and Child Well Being

Death Penalty and Child Well-being; what do they have in common? Maybe everything. When I read the article on the impending execution of a 24 year old boy in South Dakota and looked at the state breakdown on the death penalty in today’s paper, I was compelled to also look at the Kids Count Data Book, sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Children’s Defense Fund (www.kidscount.org ), because I sensed some similarities. Sure enough, there is a high correlation between the states that rank high in child well being and those that do not have the death penalty or have not had an execution since 1976. Of the top fifteen states on the scale of child well-being, only two (Nebraska and Utah) have had an execution since 1976. With only one exception (West Virginia) all fifteen states on the bottom of the child well-being list had had executions during that period. Maybe that tells us something.

The commitment of a state to meeting the needs of its children is a direct determining factor in the future those children and our country will have. The ACE Study (www.acestudy.com) identified the connections between “adverse childhood experiences” of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect (all kinds), parental mental illness or suicide, incarceration, and the absence of one parent and later difficulties. A troubled childhood more frequently leads to a difficult adolescence and ultimately to adult health and social issues and early death.

Maybe it’s time we think about the long term impact of the well being of our children. With an upcoming election for a new governor, we have an opportunity to choose to elect a candidate who is committed to the well being of our children. The Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition has identified priorities for Minnesota’s children that include (1) affordable health care (including mental health), (2) economic security for families (housing, livable wage, quality childcare, and basic essentials), (3) support that gives every child the opportunity to achieve their full potential, protected and free from abuse, neglect and environmental hazards, (4) youth development programs, (5) quality E-16 education, and (6) a justice system that fairly represents all children and empowers them to become contributing members of society. We must ask our candidates what they are going to do to help restore Minnesota to its former place as the best state for kids and we must vote for our children, because they can’t vote for themselves. We must also resist any temptation to institute a death penalty.

Connie Skillingstad'
Executive Director
Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota
651-523-0099

PS: Also, come out and Walk for the Children on September 12th at the Saints Stadium in St. Paul to support PCA Minnesota in its efforts to end child abuse and neglect.. Check out our web site at www.pcamn.org.