Lead poisoning linked to waves of violent crime

At first it seemed preposterous. The rise and fall of violent crime during the second half of the 20th century and first years of the 21st were caused, the hypothesis proposed, not by changes in policing or imprisonment, single parenthood, recession, crack cocaine or the legalisation of abortion, but mainly by … lead.

Lead poisoning linked to waves of violent crime Artmonbiot620x349

I don't mean bullets. The crime waves that afflicted many parts of the world and then collapsed were ascribed, in an article published by Mother Jones, to the rise and fall in the use of lead-based paint and leaded petrol.

It's ridiculous - until you see the evidence. Studies between cities, states and nations show that the rise and fall in crime follows, with a roughly 20-year lag, the rise and fall in the exposure of infants to trace quantities of lead.

I began by reading the papers. Do they say what the article claims? They do. Then I looked up the citations. I could find just one study attacking the thesis, and this was sponsored by the Ethyl Corporation, which was a major manufacturer of tetraethyl lead. It really does look as if lead poisoning could be the major cause of the rise and fall in violent crime.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/lead-poisoning-linked-to-waves-of-violent-crime-20130111-2cl9w.html#ixzz2HiyBv1El

Lead poisoning linked to waves of violent crime

Lead poisoning linked to waves of violent crime

Anarcho-Capitalist Categorical Imperatives

Via AnCaps: Law & Enforced Unnatural Order