“If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments”: A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Religion on Crime

Religion tends to reduce many forms of social deviance.

“religion tends to reduce many forms of social deviance”

Religiosity is positively related to some morally relevant behaviors and unrelated or negatively related to others.

“Although religiosity seems to be positively related to some morally relevant behaviors, it appears to be unrelated or negatively related to others [10–15].”

A recent meta-analysis of 60 studies determined that the mean reported effect size was r = -0.12, indicating greater religiosity is associated with less likelihood of engaging in various crimes.

“A recent meta-analysis of 60 studies determined that the mean reported effect size was r = -0.12,indicating the greater the religiosity the less likely people are to engage in various crimes (Baier and Wright 2001).”

The vast majority of papers have found an inverse association between individual-level religiosity and risk of deviant behavior.

“The vast majority of papers have found an inverse association-the greater the individual-level religiosity, the lower the risk of deviant behavior (see Agnew 1998;Baier and Wright 2001;Tittle and Welch 1983).”

Almost all relevant studies on religion and deviance are limited to juveniles.

“Third, almost all of the relevant studies are limited to juveniles (e.g., Baier and Wright 2001;Regnerus 2003).”

The overwhelming majority of studies fail to test the moral communities hypothesis.

“First, the overwhelming majority of studies fail to test the moral communities hypothesis that holds that individual-level religiosity will have the strongest effect on deviance when individual-level religiosity is reinforced by a high level of religiosity in the community (Baier and Wright 2001;Regnerus 2003;Stark 1996).”

The most commonly used measure of religiosity in the literature on deviance is church attendance.

“The most commonly used measure of religiosity in the literature on deviance is church attendance; thus we maximize comparability with past research on this first measure of religiosity (Baier and Wright 2001;Tittle and Welch 1983).”

Baier and Wright (2001) reported that studies based on Pacific samples did not have significantly different effect sizes from studies based elsewhere in the United States.

“Baier and Wright (2001) reported that studies based on Pacific samples did not have significantly different effect sizes from studies based elsewhere in the United States.”

Studies restricted to church members were more likely than their counterparts to find a strong impact of religion on criminality.

“Hence, studies restricted to church members were more likely than their counterparts to find a strong impact of religion on criminality.”

A meta-analysis of 60 studies on religiosity and crime reported mixed results for the moral communities hypothesis.

“A meta-analysis of 60 studies on religiosity and crime reported mixed results for the moral communities hypothesis (Baier and Wright 2001).”

Baier and Wright (2001) determined that studies based on church members were more apt to find stronger associations between individual-level religiosity and deviance.

“Baier and Wright determined that studies based on church members were more apt to find stronger associations between individual-level religiosity and deviance.”

The studies in Baier and Wright (2001) were all based on samples from one nation, the United States.

“The studies in Baier and Wright (2001) were all based on samples from one nation, the United States.”

We found some supporting evidence for the moral communities hypothesis if we follow the methodology of Baier and Wright (2001).

“We found some supporting evidence for the moral communities hypothesis if we follow the methodology of Baier and Wright (2001).”