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CHARLOTTE -- A report released Tuesday by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids says early childhood education programs give children the right start in life and could keep them from a life in crime. Area law enforcement officials showed their support for the initiative Tuesday.

“The report shows that ensuring high-quality early education to at-risk kids in the Carolinas could prevent many of them from becoming criminals," said Fight Crime: Invest in Kids membership director Joey Weedon.

Weedon says kids who are in the early education programs are five times less likely to become chronic offenders.

"When you don't provide that early opportunity for kids, you're only setting that kid up to possibly become a failure," said Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Chief Rodney Monroe.

Billions of dollars in state and federal funds were spent this past decade on similar programs -- Head Start, Smart Start and More at Four -- and results so far are varied.

“Research has been mixed so far on Head Start, but those programs that have good quality standards in them have proven to be a success," said Weedon.

The group says programs should include highly-qualified and compensated teachers, strong parental involvement, less than a 10:1 student teacher ratio and an age-appropriate curriculum. Investing a dollar now in education, they say, could save as much as $16 later in incarceration costs.

“Fighting crime by investing in kids is a worthwhile effort," Monroe said.

The group is asking supporters to contact their federal legislators to ensure passage of federal dollars for this program. President Obama already said he wants to increase funding by $10 billion.