"Moon madness!" "It must be a full moon!" In 18^th century England, a plea of "lunacy" from the full moon would ensure a murderer was given a lighter sentence. Is it an old wive's tale to blame the moon for strange behaviour? In particular, is there a link between crime and a full moon?

One well-recorded research is that of a team of psychologists, led by Arnold Lieber in the late 1970's. They researched 1,887 murders over 15 years in Dade County, Miami. They found the rise in incidence of murders matched the occurrence of the full moon AND new moon. To further verify the findings, they repeated the research in Ohio with the same amazing results!

In 1998, a study in England reported that the 1,200 inmates of Leeds' Armley Jail displayed violent behaviour during the days either side of a full moon.

On Sunday, August 25, 2002, the "Blade", Toledo published an article on the phenomenon of a link between crime and the full moon. It stated:

"A Blade computer analysis of Toledo police reports over the last three years adds credence to an age-old adage. From 1999 through 2001, the crime rate rose 5 percent on the nights with full moons."

But then, the "Blade" found something rather odd. The article continues:

"Adding a strange twist to the data, the rate of armed robberies dropped 11 percent during full-moon nights, but robberies without weapons increased 14 percent."

These examples sound like quite feasible pieces of evidence for saying there is a strong correlation between a full moon and a rise in crime. However, they are just three pieces of evidence. Little more research has been recorded, or even conducted? Lieber's research really proves that two phases of the moon correlate with a rise in crime; not just the full moon. The "Blade's" evidence seems to suggest that really one type of crime is swapped for another. And does the British study really equate with evidence of crime?

However, there are plenty of examples of "theories" for a link between crime and the full moon.

"Firefighters, police officers, emergency room workers, social workers and bartenders all say that crime and violence follow the full moon. There are more murders done at the full or new moon than at other times, and more violence in sports such as hockey or soccer." http://www.northernontario.org/ claims, but where are the statistics?

It seems, for now, until more comparative research is conducted, the link between a full moon and a significant rise in crime is an old wives' tale, a superstition; perhaps a throw back to old Celtic folklore and the dangers of werewolves. But I can't help wondering. Have you noticed, when there's a full moon, there seems to be a rise in burglary? Perhaps thieves see better by the light of the full moon!

Sources

http://www.innerself.com/

http://www.martinfrost.ws/

http://www.toledoblade.com/

http://www.northernontario.org/

And he walked a crooked mile,

He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.

He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.

And they all lived together in a little crooked house

- traditional nursery rhyme