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In reply to the discussion: Yes, lead poisoning could really be a cause of violent crime [View all]HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)108. Yes, & what was the lead source that declined precipitously in the 1910s-20s such that the murder
rate precipitously declined circa 1937-1965?
printers' ink was lead-based too, i believe into the 60s. has anyone checked the violent crime rate for printers' devils and typesetters?
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It was hypothesized 80 years ago that the fall of the Roman Empire was due to lead plates, goblets
leveymg
Jan 2013
#1
I stand corrected. People have known for at least 1900 years that ingesting lead is dangerous
leveymg
Jan 2013
#72
I think too much is being made about this story. I don't view it as news or even as original
leveymg
Jan 2013
#76
I don't buy it. what is the mechanism through which increased exposure to lead increases
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#3
i remember when similar studies were done in the 70s. there were problems with them then, &
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#5
how do you explain the pre-1925 rise in murder and the drop circa 1937-1965? Lead began
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#10
yes, they line up well for the crime of aggravated assault, in the cities chosen, in the time
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#52
Prohibition ended on 12/5/1933 and professionally manufactured alcohol became more readily available
AnotherMcIntosh
Jan 2013
#34
'it's possible....' but unlikely to have had such a large effect on murder rates.
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#39
why should it adjust for *any* causes? it's a graph of the murder rate, period. i'm not shouting
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#43
The rate of people being Killed in Europe in 1946 was a HUGE DROP from from 1944
happyslug
Jan 2013
#69
Military deaths/war deaths aren't part of the murder rate statistics. They're part of the general
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#98
Lead paint, and the switch from lead pipe water systems after 1900, better reporting
happyslug
Jan 2013
#62
i'm not convinced by all the ad hoc, maybe this maybe that stuff on lead pipes & lead paint,
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#79
I already acknowledged the point about national data. But we do have data for a lot of big
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#86
There was chipping paint in rural homes too. And there was chipping lead paint circa 1910-
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#111
Yes, & what was the lead source that declined precipitously in the 1910s-20s such that the murder
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#108
lead is a *proven* toxin, & has *proven* effects on physical & mental development (i.e developmental
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#122
Your math is wrong. 1935 plus at least 20 years (more for cumulative effect) is 1955
SharonAnn
Jan 2013
#66
lead began being added to fuel about 1925, not 1935. murder rates dropped dramatically ~1937-1965.
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#74
200 cars/1000 people in 1930 = 200% increase from 1900, 100% increase from 1920. And car
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#87
Purchased of cars were concentrated in the Rural and Suburban areas prior to WWII
happyslug
Jan 2013
#96
'Freakanomics" is right-wing garbage, Steve Levitt is a right-wing hack, and this lead theory
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#89
it was in the book too; not directly, but the whole argument turns on differential abortion rates
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#107
Gas isn't/wasn't the only delivery mechanism, though--lead paint was an issue too.
MADem
Jan 2013
#102
No, it wasn't, but none of the other sources you mention disappeared in the teens and 20s, which
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#110
Well, they didn't all have to die--they could come home wounded, or with PTSD, or healthy--
MADem
Jan 2013
#117
same could be said of vietnam vets, but it didn't happen. this is all ad hoc rationalizing because
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#119
Not so much...for example, it's pretty well-accepted that lead exposure = decreased IQ.
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#123
why would lead just affect violent crime rates? rather than crime generally, i mean.
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#11
Because it's specifically violent crime that's linked to lead poisoning?
Spider Jerusalem
Jan 2013
#41
lol. i read your link. the theoretical construct cited has to do with impulse control, which isn't
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#46
none of which are specific to aggravated assault or violence. but speaking of drugs:
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#54
That was a drug war, something generally removed when it comes to overall murder rates
happyslug
Jan 2013
#68
and did the authors of such studies control for effects of 'drug war'? & how is it possible to
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#71
that's a reason we might pay more attention to violent crime stats rather than other crime stats,
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#73
around here we used to have many murders, shootings by the foreign gang bangers..then Obama was
Sunlei
Jan 2013
#56
Except the correlation between eliminating leaded gasoline and declining violent crime...
Spider Jerusalem
Jan 2013
#12
I don't believe that just because someone says so in a news report. I can see it doesn't
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#15
but i haven't read those papers, and no one has posted them on DU. they posted news reports.
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#19
as you are the sort of person who thinks name-calling is an acceptable discussion tactic, you
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#26
i didn't say incarceration rates always follow violent crimes rates. i posted the stats on incar-
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#33
Thank God for the uk/eu news and uk medical reports or Americans would never know what harms them.
Sunlei
Jan 2013
#55
except most of the research was done in the us & reported in the us as well.
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#57
not these days, the corporations have much stronger control and our American news has declined.
Sunlei
Jan 2013
#58
yeah, that's why outlets like "forbes" are discussing this research (done in the us), because of
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#100
the main way used to be leaded paint & gas. since both were banned, average blood levels of lead
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#18
Check the CDC, which keeps stats on lead across 50 states. Their data do correlate high lead
ancianita
Jan 2013
#20
can you link to one of those pages where these correlations are shown or described?
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#36
My mistatement. I meant that their lead measures data are correlated by others with crime. I'm
ancianita
Jan 2013
#81
Thanks. There's data from national to local levels, and it's all helping to make this case.
ancianita
Jan 2013
#104
you apparently didn't read what i posted. It says two things: most of the data just shows
HiPointDem
Jan 2013
#109
perhaps the answer today is the medical treatment with chelators as a routine health care.
Sunlei
Jan 2013
#40
Too bad you are already tomb-stoned. Now you'll never know what's silly about that statement.
cthulu2016
Jan 2013
#91