Association of Childhood Blood Lead Levels With Criminal Offending.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Lead is a neurotoxin with well-documented effects on health. Research suggests that lead may be associated with criminal behavior. This association is difficult to disentangle from low socioeconomic status, a factor in both lead exposure and criminal offending.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that a higher childhood blood lead level (BLL) is associated with greater risk of criminal conviction, recidivism (repeat conviction), conviction for violent offenses, and variety of self-reported criminal offending in a setting where BLL was not associated with low socioeconomic status.

Design, setting, and participants

A total of 553 individuals participated in a prospective study based on a population-representative cohort born between April 1, 1972, and March 31,

SUBMITTER: Beckley AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5801257 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature