--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It didn't take a Harvard economist to…" description: "\"“It didn't take a Harvard economist to figure out that it'd be a hell of a lot cheaper spending money on helping keep kids safe when they were younger ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/karin-slaughter-1463_first-place_it-didn-t-take-a-harvard-economist-to-fi_2980533.jpg" --- # It didn't take a Harvard economist to figure out that it'd… ![“It didn't take a Harvard economist to figure out that it'd be a hell of a lot cheaper spending money on helping keep kids safe when they were younger than it was to put them in jail when they were older. That was the American way, though. Spend a million dollars rescuing some kid who's fallen down…” quote by Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/karin-slaughter-1463_first-place_it-didn-t-take-a-harvard-economist-to-fi_2980533.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/karin-slaughter-1463_first-place_it-didn-t-take-a-harvard-economist-to-fi_2980533.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/karin-slaughter-1463_first-place_it-didn-t-take-a-harvard-economist-to-fi_2980533.jpg) > ““It didn't take a Harvard economist to figure out that it'd be a hell of a lot cheaper spending money on helping keep kids safe when they were younger than it was to put them in jail when they were older. That was the American way, though. Spend a million dollars rescuing some kid who's fallen down a well, but God forbid you spend a hundred bucks up front to cap the well so the kid never falls down it in the first place.”” [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Investing early in child safety is far cheaper than later incarceration costs. **In simple terms:** Early child safety saves money. Key Takeaway Prioritize early prevention. Themes prevention economics justice Mood concerned determined Type persuasive analytical When to use this quote - social services - education programs - community health - criminal justice reform Key Concepts public policy cost‑benefit analysis Questions to Reflect On - What early interventions yield highest ROI? - How to persuade policymakers to invest early? A Different Perspective Political resistance may hinder funding allocation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cheaper Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheaper-spending-4632839/) [Dollars Rescuing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars-rescuing-4632837/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Harvard Economist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harvard-economist-4632836/) [Kids Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-safe-1097267/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Safe Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-younger-4632838/) [Spending money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending-money/) ## Related quotes > [Keeping kids safe is sometimes a delusion. The world is a perilous place. Sometimes the kitchen is a perilous place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/keeping-kids-safe-is-sometimes-a-delusion-the-world-is-a-perilous/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [My number one priority is keeping our kids safe and protecting the health of the people of Michigan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-whitmer/my-number-one-priority-is-keeping-our-kids-safe-and-protecting-the/) [Gretchen Whitmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-whitmer/) > [Saw a lost dog sign with a pic of the dog and a little boy hugging it. I'm assuming the kids safe and we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/saw-a-lost-dog-sign-with-a-pic-of-the-dog-and-a-little-boy-hugging-it/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [My new passion is to get Internet education mandated in all schools. We've got to start teaching our kids how to be safe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-estrada/my-new-passion-is-to-get-internet-education-mandated-in-all-schools/) [Erik Estrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-estrada/) > [“Why didn’t they just toss the kid in her crib?” “You haven’t been around many kids, have you?” “Not safe. They smell too good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-post/why-didn-t-they-just-toss-the-kid-in-her-crib-you-haven-t-been-around/) [Judith Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-post/) > [We must continue to work hard on the federal level, to make sure that our local law enforcement and communities have the tools and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kennedy/we-must-continue-to-work-hard-on-the-federal-level-to-make-sure-that/) [Mark Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kennedy/) > [As a parent, all you want is for your kids to be safe but you don’t want to be over-protective and so you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/as-a-parent-all-you-want-is-for-your-kids-to-be-safe-but-you-don-t/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I love the new legal immigrants; they want their kids to be safe just like I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barletta/i-love-the-new-legal-immigrants-they-want-their-kids-to-be-safe-just/) [Lou Barletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barletta/) > [Not everything," he said. "Not the important things. My kids are safe. You're safe. That's all I really care about. This" - he said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/not-everything-he-said-not-the-important-things-my-kids-are-safe-you/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [All of us -- parents, schools, communities and government -- share responsibility to keep kids safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/all-of-us-parents-schools-communities-and-government-share/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [No child should be afraid to go to school, and Americans from all walks of life: students, parents, law enforcement, veterans, and law abiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/no-child-should-be-afraid-to-go-to-school-and-americans-from-all/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The Second Amendment is not optional, and neither is keeping our kids safe from violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/the-second-amendment-is-not-optional-and-neither-is-keeping-our-kids/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [I see so many people living in a bubble. They want to be safe, they want their kids to be safe, and they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-ballard/i-see-so-many-people-living-in-a-bubble-they-want-to-be-safe-they/) [Frankie Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-ballard/) > [“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/every-gun-that-is-made-every-warship-launched-every-rocket-fired/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [If you spend £200million, £300m every year, obviously, even if you make mistakes, you have a good team, but without spending so much money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/if-you-spend-200million-300m-every-year-obviously-even-if-you-make/) [Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/) ## More by Karin Slaughter > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I've always been drawn to dark stories. I enjoy reading Flannery O'Connor, Patricia Highsmith, and Margaret Mitchell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-dark-stories-i-enjoy-reading-flannery-o/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I love puns. I've been known to turn the car around just to take advantage of a good pun situation. It really is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-love-puns-i-ve-been-known-to-turn-the-car-around-just-to-take/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Usually, when inspiration strikes late, the light of day reveals that I haven't gotten an idea for a book so much as a psychiatric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/usually-when-inspiration-strikes-late-the-light-of-day-reveals-that-i/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“To all the librarians in the world on behalf of all the kids y’all helped grow up to be writers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/to-all-the-librarians-in-the-world-on-behalf-of-all-the-kids-y-all/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“Moon was from somewhere up east, the kind of place where consonants took on a life of their own. In addition to this, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/moon-was-from-somewhere-up-east-the-kind-of-place-where-consonants/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Feminism has been so co-opted, but the fact is, feminism benefits men as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/feminism-has-been-so-co-opted-but-the-fact-is-feminism-benefits-men/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Librarians have always stood up for writers and readers in every kind of community across this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/librarians-have-always-stood-up-for-writers-and-readers-in-every-kind/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“I’ve got to figure out before I die whether I want to be happy or I want to be right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-ve-got-to-figure-out-before-i-die-whether-i-want-to-be-happy-or-i/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Prior to the Civil War, most libraries were either privately owned or housed in universities or churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/prior-to-the-civil-war-most-libraries-were-either-privately-owned-or/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [In the South, we drink the Bible with our mother's milk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/in-the-south-we-drink-the-bible-with-our-mother-s-milk/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Denise Mina is probably one of the most gifted writers out there, whether it's mystery or literary or whatever label you want to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/denise-mina-is-probably-one-of-the-most-gifted-writers-out-there/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [If there is still an American dream, reading is one of the bootstraps by which we can all pull ourselves up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/if-there-is-still-an-american-dream-reading-is-one-of-the-bootstraps/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I love reading almost as much as I love writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-love-reading-almost-as-much-as-i-love-writing/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“a large chifforobe wedged into a small closet that their mother said they’d have to pay Tom Robinson a nickel to bust up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/a-large-chifforobe-wedged-into-a-small-closet-that-their-mother-said/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) [Explore all 237 Karin Slaughter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) ## More First place quotes > [“But the process should not be confused with science. When tests are used as selections devices, they're not a neutral tool; they become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-whyte/but-the-process-should-not-be-confused-with-science-when-tests-are/) [William H. Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-whyte/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [At times you are going to miss people. When that happens, others have to come to the front and show the calibre that brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-phelan/at-times-you-are-going-to-miss-people-when-that-happens-others-have/) [Mike Phelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-phelan/) > [Im never shocked when people let me down nowadays. I just hate the fact that I put myself in a position to be let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-never-shocked-when-people-let-me-down-nowadays-i-just-hate-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Had a 90's music party with my Glee family tonight. Helped remind me why I got into music in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-salling/had-a-90-s-music-party-with-my-glee-family-tonight-helped-remind-me/) [Mark Salling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-salling/) > [“We heard about people who go back to their roots. That is good, but don't get stuck in the root. There is the branch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/we-heard-about-people-who-go-back-to-their-roots-that-is-good-but-don/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“If you have the ability and the opportunity to help someone, but you don't do anything just because you're scared or it's inconvenient or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-despain/if-you-have-the-ability-and-the-opportunity-to-help-someone-but-you/) [Bree Despain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-despain/) > [Every penny we spend comes from the taxpayer. We thus owe it to the taxpayer to work as hard managing that money wisely as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-mulvaney/every-penny-we-spend-comes-from-the-taxpayer-we-thus-owe-it-to-the/) [Mick Mulvaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-mulvaney/) > [“The traumatized soul finds no rest in conditions of peace. It’s forever questing for violence, for action, for the same combination of factors which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-s-williams/the-traumatized-soul-finds-no-rest-in-conditions-of-peace-it-s/) [Matthew S. 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Faith not just in God, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/the-greatest-faith-is-the-willingness-to-ask-in-the-first-place-all/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) [Browse all 2,907 First place quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It didn't take a Harvard economist to figure out that it'd be a hell of a lot cheaper spending money on helping keep kids safe when they were younger than it was to put them in jail when they were older. That was the American way, though. 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