Dec 26 2008
Relocated: This caught my eye
Sunday, January 13, 2008
This caught my eye
This story appeared in the NY Times online. It caught my eye. It’s very catchy and alarming. But not very scientific. The reporters at least acknowledge that they haven’t proved a causal relationship.
The first thing that came to mind with this (although they do compare pre-war and war era numbers) is that perhaps the cause here is related to a different problem with our military.
The military gets large numbers of recruits from many of the same groups that are prone to crime. Mostly, the poor and minorities. With promises of educational assistance, the military lures in those who might not otherwise be able to afford to go to college. Or those who never thought about going to college, and didn’t have a career in mind upon graduating from high school. Or those whose parents think they need more discipline (even if it means putting their child’s life on the line). These are people who often have underlying problems, and grew up in situations where crime was common.
Is it possible that the military gave them the tools, not the cause, to commit their crimes?
Posted by Zach at 12:05 AM 0 comments Links to this post 
Labels: afghanistan, iraq, military, new york times, veterans
