Understanding international crime trends: The legacy of preschool lead exposure

Rick Nevin ()

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This study shows a very strong association between preschool blood lead and subsequent crime rate trends over several decades in the USA, Britain, Canada, France, Australia, Finland, Italy, West Germany, and New Zealand. The relationship is characterized by best-fit lags (highest R2 and t-value for blood lead) consistent with neurobehavioral damage in the first year of life and the peak age of offending for index crime, burglary, and violent crime. The impact of blood lead is also evident in age-specific arrest and incarceration trends. Regression analysis of average 1985-1994 murder rates across USA cities suggests that murder could be especially associated with more severe cases of childhood lead poisoning.

Keywords: Lead Poisoning; Crime; IQ; Behavior; Violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 K32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007-02-15
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (34)

Published in Environmental Research 3.104(2007): pp. 315-336

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:35338

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