Claim CA001.1:
Since evolution began to be taught in public schools, crime rates and
other social ills have increased.
Source:
Response:
- Crime rates go up and down and are associated mostly with the age of the
population. There does not appear to be any correlation between crime
rates and teaching evolution. The United States was generally more
violent in the years 1870-1910 before evolution was taught. In recent
years, crime rates have been dropping since 1989.
Regional trends show a negative correlation between crime and teaching
evolution. Other developed democracies accept evolution to a far
greater extent than the United States and have lower homicide rates,
juvenile and early adult mortality, sexually transmitted disease
infection rates, teen pregnancy, and abortion rates (Paul 2005). In
the United States, southern states tend to emphasize creationism more,
but they also have generally higher crime rates.
- Correlation does not imply causation. Since the teaching of evolution,
death rates from most cancers have decreased, air travel has increased,
and the earth's temperature has risen, but we do not attribute any of
those to teaching evolution.
- In the United States, at least, most people do not believe evolution.
If social ills follow from belief about origins, creationists deserve
more of the responsibility.
- "Do not ask why the old days were better than the present; for that is
a foolish question" (Ecclesiastes 7:10).
References:
- Paul, Gregory S. 2005. Cross-national correlation of quantifiable
societal health with popular religiosity and secularism in the
prosperous democracies. Journal of Religion and Society 7: 1-17.
http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/pdf/2005-11.pdf
Further Reading:
Disaster Center. n.d. United States Crime Rates 1960 - 2000.
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm
Social Statistics Briefing Room: Crime,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/crime.html
created 2003-5-2, modified 2005-10-7