I have done no research at all but that timeline also coincides with a lot of other things, notably rapid expansion of suburban sprawl and absolutely massive increases in incarceration rate. Prison populations doubled in the 1980s, then doubled again in the 90s.
I think the age of the population has a lot to do with it as well if we’re measuring per 100,000 people. The median age in America right now is 38, but in 1970 it was 28. Older people commit fewer violent crimes I guess. I’ve also heard there have been some studies on how the Roe v Wade ruling lowered violent crime rates, even when controlling for leaded gasoline exposure, but I’ve also heard that’s possibly a bullshit hypothesis and I’m a dumbass so I have no idea.
I totally agree. There is SOOOOOO many other things and blaming lead feels very reductive to.me as well, but since it was the subject I figured I’d bring it out. The graph is if I recall about reported crimes and not prosecuted ones though
The violent crime rate of the 20th century on a graph almost exactly matches the graph of lead exposure from gasoline.
So, maybe?
I have done no research at all but that timeline also coincides with a lot of other things, notably rapid expansion of suburban sprawl and absolutely massive increases in incarceration rate. Prison populations doubled in the 1980s, then doubled again in the 90s.
I think the age of the population has a lot to do with it as well if we’re measuring per 100,000 people. The median age in America right now is 38, but in 1970 it was 28. Older people commit fewer violent crimes I guess. I’ve also heard there have been some studies on how the Roe v Wade ruling lowered violent crime rates, even when controlling for leaded gasoline exposure, but I’ve also heard that’s possibly a bullshit hypothesis and I’m a dumbass so I have no idea.
I totally agree. There is SOOOOOO many other things and blaming lead feels very reductive to.me as well, but since it was the subject I figured I’d bring it out. The graph is if I recall about reported crimes and not prosecuted ones though