Author: Marcotte, Dave E.
Title: A Cure for Crime? Psycho-Pharmaceuticals and Crime Trends
Summary: This paper considers possible links between the advent and diffusion of a number of new psychiatric pharmaceutical therapies and crime rates. It describes recent trends in crime and reviews the evidence showing mental illness as a clear risk factor both for criminal behavior and victimization. The paper briefly summarizes the development of a number of new pharmaceutical therapies for the treatment of mental illness which diffused during the "great American crime decline." It examines limited international data, as well as more detailed American data to assess the relationship between crime rates and rates of prescriptions of the main categories of psychotropic drugs, while controlling for other factors which may explain trends in crime rates. The study found that increases in prescriptions for psychiatric drugs are associated with decreases in violent crime, with the largest impacts associated with new generation antidepressants and stimulants used to treat ADHD.
Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2009. 43p.
Source: NBER Working Paper Series; Working Paper 15354; Internet Resource
Year: 2009
Country: United States
URL:
Shelf Number: 118432
Keywords:
Crime, Psychological AspectsMental Illness (United States)Psychotropic Drugs |
