Introduction Summary

The Introduction begins with a discussion of how, in the 1990s, experts predict a dire and dramatic increase in crime, particularly in murder by teenagers. The predicted crime wave never happens, however, and, in fact, crime rates for all types of crimes begin to plunge all over the country. Experts credit the dramatic decrease to various factors, such as the robust 1990s economy, gun control laws and smart policing strategies. The authors argue in the Introduction, however, that the primary reason for the dramatic decrease in the crime rate is the Supreme Court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which recognizes a woman's constitutional right to have an abortion. As the authors explain, because of Roe v. Wade, the types of children who are most likely to become criminals - those born into an adverse family environment - are never born. Therefore, by the...