Does abortion lower the crime rate...

[Jumper_Dad]

http://scholar.harvard.edu/barro/files/99_0927_crimerate_bw.pdf

 

Findings basically relate legalized abortion with a drop in crime 15-20+ years later.

 

I know there are some that discount the findings, but the authors revisited the numbers a few years later and again came to the same conclusions.

 

 

With the constant discussion of abortion going on in the country, what does everyone think of this?

[Clyde]

Didn't read the link yet but this is the argument put forth by Malcolm Gladwell. Scholars have poo poo'd it for lack of scientific method if I recall.

[TAC]

Tough to answer this since I consider abortion to be a murder. That being said I do think legalzation would lower the crime rate. I'd trade off the the murder of babies to allow those children to have a chance to survive and at least have a chance to be a contributing member of society and go with tougher laws and more support of the police force to decrease the crime rate.

[CincySportsFan]

Didn't read the article either. But did read one not too long ago about how orange juice consumption has dropped over the past 18 years or so. Maybe that's the real reason why crime has dropped...not as many people hyped up on citrus juice.

[gchs_uk9]

Is it possible that the crime rate is lower because people might not be as bad as a 24-hour continuous news cycle of fear mongering would have us believe?

[LIPTON BASH]

I've read and heard this theory many time. Is it not the most racist defense of abortion ever.

[marvel]

I've read and heard this theory many time. Is it not the most racist defense of abortion ever.

 

Right?

 

Claiming "abortion rids us of criminals," sounds like eugenics without acknowledgment.

 

I'd venture to say most of the abortions in NY and CA happened in minority, poverty stricken areas.

[Jumper_Dad]

Right?

 

Claiming "abortion rids us of criminals," sounds like eugenics without acknowledgment.

 

I'd venture to say most of the abortions in NY and CA happened in minority, poverty stricken areas.

That's what the study is saying that most of the children aborted are from higher poverty levels and from broken families and areas with more crime to begin with. The article didn't mention race.

[bugatti]

That's what the study is saying that most of the children aborted are from higher poverty levels and from broken families and areas with more crime to begin with. The article didn't mention race.

Whether it is morally correct is for another debate, but crime disproportionally comes from lower income, high poverty areas, so it makes perfect sense.

[Clyde]

One argument is that it increased crime.

 

Logic:

 

More premarital sex without birth control. Women could "fall back" on an abortion if needed.

Women then got pregnant but couldn't go through with it. This led to more single-parent homes.

Children from single-parent homes commit more crime.

[Jumper_Dad]

One argument is that it increased crime.

 

Logic:

 

More premarital sex without birth control. Women could "fall back" on an abortion if needed.

Women then got pregnant but couldn't go through with it. This led to more single-parent homes.

Children from single-parent homes commit more crime.

 

Except that almost all crime rates have dropped since the 70's especially violent crimes it seems...

[norse1]

Didn't Hitler say something along these lines about Jews

[doomer]

I've seen a couple of studies...

 

The hypothesis that abortion reduces later crime (short version) has difficulty in proof because there can be other factors affecting the outcome. The underlying theory is that abortions prevent unwanted children who subsequently do not receive the nurturing, care, direction and limitations that are foundations for raising a child, thus enter adulthood unprepared to fit into society.

 

One of the studies was Romania...not a racial study.

[Fear the Nation]

Jobs, education, families and nondrug users lower the crime rate. Opportunity not abortion.

[Hellcats]

What is really interesting is the evidence found in Australia and Romania.

 

I think it would be fair to say the access and acceptance of contraception would play a large role if the hypothesis could be proven. Roe vs. Wade was a statement that supported reproductive rights of individuals, and after the decision it was not so taboo for citizens to purchase and use contraception.