Weather & Crime

In the discomfort of last week's heat, the report on the relation between weather and crime, made by Dr. Edwin Grant Dexter, to the National Probation Society, received national attention. Dr. Dexter analyzed the 12-year police and weather statistics of New York and Denver. His conclusions:

Misbehavior is less on calm days than on windy, because when weather is calm the air contains an excess of carbon dioxide, which lessens vitality.

Murders increase during dry and windy periods, because of the prevailing high electric potentiality of the atmosphere.

In summer people are outdoors, have free opportunity to quarrel; commit acts of violence. In winter living becomes difficult; people steal and commit other acts against property.

Above 85DEG F. people become too lethargic to quarrel.

Suicides are fewest in physically comfortable weather. Most happen in May.

An approaching storm excites some people to violence.