Poor Health Delinquency

March 23, 2011

Better health care options for today’s youth could hold a key to lowering crime rates. That’s one conclusion of a new University of Florida study focusing on middle school and high school students across the country. Results suggest poor health may contribute to adolescents committing deviant acts.

John Stogner/UF criminology researcher: “Stress or strain caused by health problems may be causing individuals to react differently to situations they experience. While a headache may seem to be a minor thing, it does cause you to react differently to the stimuli you experience in your life.”

The study suggests even minor health problems like headaches, toothaches, or nausea can add up. If adolescents experience them often enough, they may lash out.

John Stogner/UF criminology researcher: “These results may seem to indicate that improvements to health care in the future, particularly health care as extended to youth and adolescents, may reduce the crime rate.”

So research suggests better health could lead to more law-abiding behavior.