Lead and criminal activity
University of Cincinnati researchers have found what they believe is the first direct association between lead exposure in children and criminal activity in young adults.
Exposure to lead, primarily from peeling lead-based paint in older homes, already has been linked to brain damage and learning disabilities. This study followed children born between 1979 and 1984 who had elevated levels of lead in their systems and found that the higher the level of lead, the more likely the person was to be arrested in young adulthood.
Results are published in the peer-reviewed PLoS [Public Library of Science] Journal.
