Early-Life Lead Exposure from Private Well Water Increases Juvenile Delinquency Risk Among U.S. Teens

Abstract

Early-life exposure to environmental lead (Pb) has been linked to decreased IQ, behavior problems, lower lifetime earnings, and increased criminal activity. Beginning in the 1970s, limits on Pb in paint, gasoline, food cans, and regulated water utilities sharply curtailed U.S. environmental Pb exposure. Nonetheless, hundreds of thousands of U.S. children remain at risk. This study reports on how unregulated private well water is an under-recognized Pb exposure source that is associated with an increased risk of teenage juvenile delinquency. We build a longitudinal data set linking blood Pb measurements for 13,580 children under age 6 to their drinking water source, individual and neighborhood-level demographics, and reported juvenile delinquency records. We estimate how early-life Pb exposure from private well water influences reported delinquency. On average, children in homes with unregulated private wells had 11% higher blood Pb than those with community water service. This higher blood Pb was significantly associated with reported delinquency. Compared to children with community water service, those relying on private wells had a 21% (95% CI: 5-40%) higher risk of being reported for any delinquency and a 38% (95% CI: 10-73%) increased risk of being reported for serious delinquency after age 14. These results suggest that there could be substantial but as-yet unrecognized social benefits from intervention programs to prevent children’s exposure to Pb from private wells, on which 13% of the U.S. population rely.