The full moon is often accused of having a bizarre effect on people. Whenever someone exhibits odd behavior, the full moon is often to blame. Crime seems to escalate along with those extremely and unusually weird actions performed. So many ask, “Does a full moon really impact human behavior, and why does it promote darker tendencies?”
Ajua Bail Bonds as well as many medical field experts, law enforcement and even a few bartenders we have spoken to, believe a full moon has a part to play in the committing of crimes. Full moon crime, or the lunar effect, might actually be the cause of criminal impulses. Scientists have conducted research in supporting this theory and legal professionals have been known to use the lunar effect in criminal defenses. A lawyer in the 19th century used the “guilty by the full moon” as a line of defense for his “lunatic” clients in stating the lunar effect is what purged the criminal act from the defendants. This created the “lunar defense” in the court systems.
Study of Moon Phases Affecting People’s Behavior
In 1995 at the University of New Orleans, researches conducted a study that revealed cops and medical personnel topped the list in believing that crime and trauma occurred more often on full moon nights.
Here’s a few more studies on the subject:
– In 1978, the University of Washington performed an investigation over a 5 year period where 11,613 cases where studied, and concluded the majority of the aggravated assaults were committed on full moons.
– Sussex Police Department conducted an informal review in 2007, and did notice more violent crimes being executed during full moons.
– New Zealand’s own Justice Minister supports the lunar effect upon observing the rise in violent crimes in January of 2008.
Moon Related Crime Theories
With the statistics to back the theory, could the moon really have a play in triggering violent tendencies in the criminal minded? Some have a few theories regarding the speculation.
– Mike Zimecki performed his own study in 2006. Compiling cases in 3 different police departments in towns in Europe from the years 1978-1981, the violent crimes that had been carried out was incredibly higher on full moons. He also documented suicides and crimes being elevated on full moons was due the moons gravitational pull creating “human tidal waves”.
– A sleep study was conducted with 33 volunteers by a doctor of the University Basel’s Psychiatric hospital. The experiment was to discover what the full moon’s light reacts with human sleep. Researchers found the it 5 minutes longer for the volunteers to fall asleep on the nights of a full moon, with 30% less time in REM, and 20 minutes less sleep overall.
– Lastly, a Miami psychiatrist wrote a book in 1978, proposing the moon was associated human behavior by affecting their emotional and mental states similar to that which effects a full moon’s link to ocean’s tidal waves.
