Title: Are Abortion and Crime Rates Related? [UPDATED]
Headings: Does Abortion Reduce Crime?
Does Abortion Reduce Crime?
Donohue and Levitt’s 2001 Study
Counterevidence from Lott and Whitley
Donohue and Levitt’s 2019 Study
A Moral Argument
Negative Effects of Abortion on Society
Final Thoughts
Endnotes

Content: According to data reported by the FBI in 2019: “ The violent crime rate fell 49% between 1993 and 2019, with large decreases in the rates of robbery (-68%), murder/non-negligent manslaughter (–47%) and aggravated assault (–43%) … [while] property crime rate fell 55%, with big declines in the rates of burglary (–69%), motor vehicle theft (–64%) and larceny/theft (–49%).” Obviously, crime rates vary from city to city and from state to state. The population density and economic conditions of individual cities play a huge role in crime rate. But can it be said that this decline is due to decriminalized abortion? According to a report published by the Guttmacher Institute in 2019, abortion rates during the period of 2011-2017 have fallen. During this time period, abortions fell by 196,000. This decrease likely has multiple factors, including tougher abortion restrictions, clinic closures, and the expansion of pro-life pregnancy care resources. Critics of both the 2001 Donohue-Levitt study and the 2019 paper remind people that correlation does not equal causation. They cite other reasons—such as the war on drugs, a stronger economy, a tougher police force, and gentrification—that could all contribute to the decrease in the national crime rate.