Legalized abortion in the 70s is the cause for the dramatic crime decrease in the 90s
 

What do you guys think of this? I'm reading a really good book, "Freakonomics" by a "rogue economist" who explores the hidden side of things by interperating mountains of data using the techniques of economics.

According to him, the main cause for the sudden large crime drop in the mid to late 90's was caused by legalized abortion 2 decades earlier in Roe v. Wade. It was at this time when, had the unwanted children been born from the first waves of legalized abortion, that they would have reached the age where they are most likely to commit crime.

You have less unwed teenage mothers having children, and you have less poor poeple who can't afford children having children.

Statistically these two groups produce children who are more prone to violent and regular crime. They are also the most likely groups to have abortions.

Since the number of children born to these groups are far less through legalized abortion, to the tune of over 1 million a year, the crime rates have dropped tremendously.

Thoughts?

I listened to the audio book of Freakonomics and I have to say the author makes several compelling points. His theories make good sense and I love how he ties different economic circumstances together by finding common threads.

Def. a must read! (or listen).

Sounds very plausible. Another reason to be pro-choice.

Wow im going to buy the book today.

that book is reviewed on cnn.com about six months ago. they did not mention a thing about abortion, lol
i hate that fucking news source.

I didn't need a book to know that. If we could just abort up to age 5 or 6 then we'd really be able to clean up the future crime problem.

Freakonomics was a good book, but the data he presents is fine as long as it's kept in context and not extrapolated on to other areas/subjects, as many who have read it are now trying to do.

Recommended.

Freakonomics

Feel free to use my link. :thumbsup

I believe its on the first or second page of the book in the preface, then again later on as a chapter.

it makes sense that unwanted children are going to grow up the most fucked up, and add poverty to that...

buying this book now

It's a great book. I'm going to make a thread about handguns and swimming pools a little later.

I also think it is a great book. I picked it up after I saw him on The Daily show and I do think that during the segment he also brought up the abortion portion.

One thing leads to another and statistics are so easy to manipulate with....
Remember what happened in late 60's, early 70's; women "revolution" and bigger percentage of women started working and taking education. This caused less children, and many got older before they had children. And most important; better economy. Also add the fact that pills and condoms were more accepted in the wave of sexual revolution.
The baby boom after WWII has also influence in generations on fertility. Its like a rollercoaster.

I think the "get rid of the subjects" is not how you solve problems with crime on long terms. The answer is better opportunities, and the only way you can solve that, is with jobs and education for all. But its hard within capitalized borders, where not even those who are criminals have the right to vote.

That's exactly why I bought the book. Saw the interview and thought it was fascinating. I forgot about it till I was in the bookstore at the airport for my flight down to internext.

He really touches on a lot of that in the chapter.

cool book.

I think crime decreased because the police stopped believing lies that people made up to put other people in jail. You know like fake rape cases against blacks. Also more police are being put in jail for fabricating crime and commiting crime and blaming other people. Also would be muggers and robbers have new opportunities to commit crime without being caught so they switched over to them such as crack dealer, cocaine dealer, weed seller, crystal meth cooker... A whole new line of work made violent crime less profitable.
Also the gang truces have reduced murder, shootings, stabbings, beatings etc in places like LA by 80%.

Finally, most criminals are too busy building websites, surfing porn and GFY to commit new crimes.


I dout abortion has anything at all to do with less crime.

And how is it less crime when drugs sales are at epic levels?

He addresses a lot of that in the book as well.

Might be ONE of the reason ... but can't be all. Look at the crime drop in NY since 9/11