Lead Poisoning and the Development of Criminal Behaviors: A Cross-Cultural Study of Water Regulation

Abstract

The use of lead has been documented as far back as the second century beginning in the Roman Empire where it was used as a wine sweetener, a protective coating on the inside of copper pots to prevent it from leaching into its contents, and in the lead pipes they built to flow spring water into their homes (Jonasson & Afshari, 2018). Lead is still found in our modern plumbing today across the United States and around the world. The consequences of lead poisoning are detrimental to the human body, causing irreparable damage to ourselves physically and mentally. Criminologists have suggested a link between the effects of lead poisoning on children and the increased potential of criminality later in life. Looking further at this hypothesis begs the question of whether or not this is a uniquely American problem. This study will take a deeper look at this connection by analyzing data taken from American populations with high levels of documented lead exposure in their water supply and the levels of crime associated with those areas. Additionally, research will be conducted in the Netherlands, a country well-known for its sustainability efforts and regulations in environmental protections. This international comparison study aims to examine the differences in lead contamination within the water and compare it to the documented cases of local crime. By learning about the long-term, developmental effects of lead poisoning and its connection to deviant behavior, we can begin to understand the broader implications of local policies on communities worldwide.