Childhood lead exposure is a risk factor for criminal behavior
Prenatal and postnatal blood lead concentrations are associated with higher rates of total arrests and/or arrests for offenses involving violence. This is the first prospective study to demonstrate an association between developmental exposure to lead and adult criminal behavior. – Lead exposure during childhood is associated with adult criminal behaviour, including violent crime, revealed by researchers in this week’s PLoS Medicine. Childhood lead exposure is a purported risk factor for antisocial behavior, but prior studies either relied on indirect measures of exposure or did not follow participants into adulthood to examine the relationship between lead exposure and criminal activity in young adults.