Falling Crime Rate Surprises Everyone

Why did violent crime peak around 1991 in the USA, Canada and elsewhere then commence to significantly reduce?  In a New York Times article it was reported that the aggregation of all violent crime in the USA significantly peaked in 1991:

Perhaps nowhere has the drop been more stunning than in New York City, which reported only 328 homicides for 2014, compared with 2,245 in 1990.

There was not only a fall in serious crime, there was also declines in teenage pregnancy, child abuse and juvenile delinquency. [1]

Coincidentally, I only discovered the most likely reason for the falling crime rate from watching Catalyst, an Australian TV program, in an episode called Lead Astray[2] which included the following:

“New York today is a very different city to the one it was 20 years ago. For one thing, it’s considered to be much safer. There’s been a big drop in violent crime since the 1990s…. ..but oddly enough, as the rate of violent crime plunged in New York, it also plummeted in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, in fact, all over the United States and in many other countries.”

and

“Although it’s just a correlation, studies of individuals also show high childhood lead exposure increases the likelihood of a life marked by crime.”

Not only is there a correlation, the correlation between crime levels and lead levels has a 22 years delay, so that the peak in crime in 1991 is 22 years after the peak in lead pollution around 1969.  1969 is an extremely interesting date because the peak of the 357 years Scorpio sub-age and overflow (1791-1970-2148) is 1970. [For details of the mechanics and terminology used in macro-astrology – refer to The Age of Aquarius for Dummies]

In the same way that Scorpio indicates the excretory organs for a person, in a worldwide perspective, Scorpio rules the excrement of the world – especially pollution. The astrology supports the assertion that the crime wave peak in 1991 correlates to the lead pollution levels in the late 1960s.

“Perhaps the biggest crime associated with lead is that it was known to have serious toxic effects long before it was added to petrol.”

The history of the use of lead as a fuel additive has a direct correlation to Capricorn, the traditional ruler of lead.  In 1924, the year before the start of the 30 year Capricorn micro-age and overflow (1925-40-55), 17 workers died from lead poisoning in Standard and DuPont refineries in New Jersey.  This was so controversial at the time that it resulted in a one year moratorium on the addition of lead additives to gasoline (petrol) commencing in 1925, while an inquiry was under way.  This inquiry and subsequent research were hijacked by the lead industry.  The late 1920’s research by Robert A. Kehoe of the University of Cincinnati concluded that lead had no adverse health benefits – and this corrupt assessment held sway until the 1960s.  When an independent researcher discovered in 1943 that children with lead poisoning developed behavioral problems, he was threatened with a lawsuit and the research ceased. It took almost 40 years to discredit Kehoe and in the 1970s, the US government finally commenced phasing out lead in gasoline.  The lead industry then shifted their marketing to developing countries and actively lobbied these governments against phasing out of lead in gasoline.[3]  This unethical practice by global corporations has been mimicked by numerous other industries once they get banned or limited in First World countries.

Finally, it was during the Leo quasi micro-age (December 1993-July 2007), that nearly all countries passed laws to stop adding lead to gasoline – only Germany and Austria pre-empted this period but they still enacted laws in the first part of the Leo micro-age. Leo represents the 8^th house of death to Capricorn lead!

How many peoples’ lives have been ruined by lead? Very small exposure to lead seriously restricts the mental development of a child as they evolve into adults.  Does this carelessness (to the point of criminality) of adding lead to gasoline apply to anything else?  Are harmful residues of plastics, industrial chemicals, pesticides and so on having deleterious effects upon the general public?  The astrology strongly supports this assertion plus there is the legendary unethical behavior of major corporations that are only focused upon their revenue like a drug pusher selling ice.

The strongest period for the Scorpio sub-age and overflow is the third quarter of its cycle – specifically the period 1970 to 2059.  This is the period that Scorpio runs amok like a freight train out of control. Unfortunately, lead continues to be used widely in the world in a variety of situations other than a fuel additive.  In addition, Iraq continues to add lead to petrol and other countries following the same practice are: Afghanistan, Burma (‘Myanmar’), North Korea, Algeria and Yemen.[4]

As a result of the rapidly increasing crime rates in the 1980s, the USA enacted draconian laws including expanding the death penalty, spent billions of dollars extra in law enforcement and built more prisons.  The USA now imprisons more of its population than any other country in the world.

Prisoner population rate per 100,000 population by country

What is the astrological reason behind the plummeting crime rates?  From the astrological perspective, 1991 as the peak date for crime occurred in a Leo micro-age (1985-2000) in an Aries quasi micro-age decan (Sep 1987 – Sep 1992).  If anything, this Aries should promote excess violent behavior and it did!  However the Leo micro-age (1985-2000) is the same period as the Virgo micro-age overflow. What has prisons got to do with Virgo when Virgo’s opposite sign, Pisces, rules prisons?  Virgo sits at the 7^th house position to Pisces and the 7^th house indicates detraction or attack.  In this case, prisons archetypally went on the attack capturing more and more of the general public and placing them in prisons like some giant one cell amoeba devouring its victims as depicted in  horror movies I saw when a kid in California.

From a statistical perspective, it is very possible that in the USA, a significant percentage of crimes and prison inmates were probably due to excessive childhood exposure to lead levels, especially prevalent in inner city and former industrial areas.  However reality is finally catching up, and some lawmakers are re-examining the costly crime control infrastructure to bring it back in line with the current much lower crime levels but Republicans are recalcitrant, and with Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, don’t hold your breath.  Canada never enforced draconian legal enforcement measures like the USA but its crime wave has also plummeted as with much of the world.

Why the heavy-handed response from the USA? The USA has Capricorn high on its totem pole, probably situated in third place after Pisces then Aquarius.  Capricorn is hard-headed and lacking emotional warmth or connection.  Certainly the USA’s response to the spiraling crime wave of the 1980’s was a hard-headed response compared to most of the rest of the world.  This Capricorn explains why amongst First World Nations, the USA appears to have the most backward and conservative policies in many areas.  On the other side of the equation, the Capricorn archetype that the Puritans brought with them to the USA (mainly in the Capricorn sub-age overflow 1612-1791) also gave them a self-reliant nature with a determination to get ahead in the world – something the USA has certainly accomplished in only a matter of a few centuries. However with Pisces at the top of the USA’s totem pole, it is also prudent to view the USA as if it is bi-polar – a land of extremes.

The perception of most people in the world is that everything is getting worse, especially crime but this is not backed up by any facts.  There is a noticeable gap between perception and reality by the general public.  For example, when people were asked to rate the safety of 10 major cities in the USA, New York was rated the second most dangerous city, while Dallas and Houston were generally rated safe.  The actual crime rate in New York is half of Dallas or Houston.  This pessimistic outlook that appeared somewhere a few decades ago is in line with the Scorpio sub-age overflow (1970-2148).  Under Scorpio, people feel vulnerable and insecure.  The previous sub-age influence was from Sagittarius, and despite two world wars and tens of millions of people killed due to war, violence and pogroms etc., people in western nations felt optimistic.  Sagittarius is an optimistic sign and Scorpio is the sign of insecurity.  What has occurred in line with falling crime rates is more intense reporting of crime increasing the feeling of vulnerability by most people.

The New York Times does briefly mention the possible connection between crime rates and lead pollution but scientists do not accept statistical correlation as proof.  This is why scientists reject astrology.  Even if astrologers can demonstrate statistical relationships, unless the underlying cause can be proved, Capricorn ruled hard-headed scientists will continue to reject astrology.

In summary, lead as an additive to gasoline was used prior to the Capricorn micro-age and overflow (1925-40-55) but during this Capricorn period, it became an entrenched commercial practice resulting in a culmination of lead pollution in 1969 – one year off the absolute peak of the Scorpio sub-age and overflow (1791-1970-2148).  The 22 year delay between lead levels and crime resulted in a crime peak in 1991 occurred in an Aries quasi micro-age decan (Sep 1987 – Sep 1992) with Aries always associated with violence.  Lawmakers in the USA became alarmed and introduced a series of draconian law enforcement measures resulting in a burgeoning prison population in a period ruled by Pisces opposite sign Virgo, in the Virgo micro-age (1985-2000).  Finally, in the Leo micro-age and overflow (1985-2000-2014), and even more specifically during the upper half of the bell-curve for Leo, the Leo quasi micro-age (December 1993-July 2007), nearly all countries passed laws to stop adding lead to gasoline – Leo represents the 8^th house of death to Capricorn lead!

References:

[1] Erik Eckholm, In a Safer Age, U.S. Rethinks Its ‘Tough on Crime’ System  New York Times, Jan 13, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/14/us/with-crime-down-us-faces-legacy-of-a-violent-age-.html?rref=politics&module=Ribbon&version=context&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Politics&pgtype=article

[2] Catalyst Lead Astray, http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4174798.htm

[3] Tetraethyllead, Wikipedia, Retrieved February 16, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tetraethyllead&oldid=647309043

[4] Anne Roberts, Six countries still use leaded petrol. Why?, LEAD Action News vol 11 Number 4, June 2011, ISSN 1324-6011, The journal of The LEAD (Lead Education and Abatement Design) Group Inc., http://www.lead.org.au/lanv11n4/lanv11n4-5.html

 

Further resources from Terry MacKinnell

www.macro-astrology.com – details of purchasing the book available

The Age of Aquarius for Dummies – explains the structure and sub-periods associated with the astrological ages

Aquarian Age Economics – Examines the relationship between macro-astrology and financial cycles

At the Cutting Edge of the Aquarian Age – Cutting edge research into the astrological ages for astrologers

FaceBook – keep up to date with what is happening

Detailed examination of the astrological ages from the Age of Leo to the Age of Aquarius including age-decans

 

 

 

The Wisdom of the Ages

There is much wisdom to be gained from the astrological ages.  In my research and study of the ages I have taken the novel approach that to understand the ages it is necessary to ‘stand under’ the ages and let the ages teach me how they operate.  The ages do not operate in the way that the urban myths of the ages have spread.  Most astrologers define the ages and what supposedly occurs within ages based on theoretical considerations and wishful thinking, not from evidence.   The ages never indicate that paradise, utopia or a world exclusively based on consciousness, reason and rationality is around the corner – or even a possibility at any time.

In our modern world we have enough information and knowledge to examine ages in detail all the way back to the deglaciation of the world that commenced around 14,000 years ago.  It is true that highly detailed information is thin on the ground for the first few thousand years, but what information that is available from those ancient times not only support the existence of the astrological ages, but also that each age consists of positive and negative archetypes associated with the astrological sign concerned.

This is not new to astrologers.  All experienced astrologers know that the horoscope for each individual person is a combination of positive and negative elements.  Most people have a relative equal number of positive and negative astrological attributes.  There is no perfect human being and there is no perfect age.

The perspective of the ancient Chinese philosophers and sages got it right – everything associated with physical reality is composed of a combination on yin and yang, with a little bit of yang in the yin and vice versa.  What happens as each new age arrives is that the positive and negative archetypes associated with the new sign slowly take over from the positive and negative archetypes of the influence from the previous age.  This is what is happening in the world today.  The Pisces momentum from the Pisces age has promoted the positive and negative archetypes of Pisces while the new Aquarian age has commenced pushing its own positive and negative archetypes to the fore.

What are the positive and negative archetypes of Pisces?  On the plus side we have compassion, charities and social security (less so in the USA compared to most other Western nations); great poetry, drama and artworks from the likes of Shakespeare, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci onwards (including the modernists such as Picasso), an incredible array of movies, fictional novels and abstract concepts; pharmaceutical drugs for a whole range of ailments.

On the negative side of Pisces are alcoholism, poisonous chemicals, prisons, addictive drugs, propaganda (spin) and swindlers, religious delusions; slavery and now sex slaves.  In addition, there are a number of areas that can be either positive or negative depending upon your point of view.  These ambivalent Pisces activities include Buddhism, Christianity and Islam; European culture; petroleum, corporations and recreational intoxicants.

These positive and negative aspects of Pisces remain the dominant archetypes in the world but Aquarius has progressively introduced its positive and negative aspects since it arrived in 1443 (or 1442).   For example, Aquarius has promoted democracy on the positive side counter-balanced by fascism.  Whenever Aquarius is strong the sea-saw will tend to go towards fascism or democracy as both are strong Aquarian archetypes.  This is keenly demonstrated by the USA that so strongly promotes democracy within its borders yet since the Second World War has supported fascist dictators and governments around the world over democracy whenever it suits the commercial or political interests of the USA.  In fact, the USA is an excellent example of democracy and fascism conjoined – but that is another story altogether.

Positive developments associated with Aquarius include flight, electricity, humanitarianism and idealists, inventions, modernization, civic organizations and associations, and free thought.  Negative elements include lack of stability, mental instability and illnesses, emotional detachment (think of the Holocaust).  Other elements that can go either way are rebelliousness and revolutions (some bring democracy and freedom while others bring tyranny); and socialism (which can be extended to communism).

Are all zodiacal signs equal in their positive and negative aspects?   There are two schools of thought on this – the modern school typically indicates that each sign and planet is basically equal in its positive and negative aspects.  Traditionalists believe that some planets and the signs they rule are more orientated towards either positiveness or negativity.

In my observation, I believe that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.  No planet or sign is all bad or good – each contains both good and bad, but some planets and signs do tend slightly more to the negative while others tend towards the positive but some sit in the middle.  I believe that Pisces does err mildly on the negative side but Aquarius is either balanced or very slightly biased towards the positive side.  This does not make the Pisces age negative and the Aquarian age positive.

Therefore, though the world is not passing from the ‘dark’ Age of Pisces to the radiant Age of Aquarius, Aquarius does seem to offer some advantages over Pisces.  This can be easily demonstrated.  Whenever the ubiquitous Jehovah’s Witnesses would arrive at my doorstep they would quickly draw my attention to all the problems and deteriorations in the world.  My standard counter was ‘if the world is so bad today, when in the past was it better?’  This perspective always left them floundering.  Do you think 1978, 1988, 1998 for example were better than 2008?

Even with all the problems of pollution, corruption, inequality, terrorism, war, violence, criminal activity and so on, the world in general today is better for a higher proportion of the world’s population compared to any time in the past.  It reminds me of something I heard not too long ago.  Someone said that if your life is 51% positive and 49% negative then you are experiencing a positive life.  The same situation applies to the world.

The majority of the world does not live the relatively gifted lifestyles of the populations of the First World countries.  The proportion of the world that does get to experience modernity is growing.  Even over the last few decades hundreds of millions of people around the world have been embraced by modernity partially or fully – one way or another, especially in China and India.

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.  The arrival of modernity from its seed that was planted over 500 years ago when the Aquarian age first arrived unannounced is steadily embracing a greater proportion of the world.  The modern world is not a perfect world but from my subjective perspective, it is superior to the medieval (Pisces) world it is replacing.

This is the wisdom of the ages.  There is no perfect age, and the Age of Aquarius is definitely not perfect.  The quest for the mythical perfect Age of Aquarius is just the hangover from Pisces.  Pisces rules delusions and self-deception.  You have a choice – you can continue to listen to delusions about a fantasized Age of Aquarius that will never arrive – or you can open your eyes and perceive the dawning of the Age of Aquarius – warts and all, that is occurring all around you and has been for over 500 years

There are many warts associated with the Age of Aquarius but in the end, it comes down to a simple issue – is the glass half full or half-empty?  On a daily basis, I give thanks to whatever reality that produced the universe and world we live in.  Is there any other time in history that is superior to today?  For the huge majority of us living in the modern world, we should be truly thankful for this unique experience since our evolution from the animal kingdom.

I sincerely hope that the dawning of the Age of Aquarius continues until all the people in the world have the option to live in this modern world.  The wisdom of the ages indicates that this will not occur this century and may not even be completed in the next one thousand years.  This is not based on my personal preferences but on what investigating the ages has taught me.