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[msbeanhead]

On the way to the beach, my pro-choice baby sister and I had a great discussion about legal aspects of abortion. She is learning about these in her law class right now. I think she called to chit-chat about personal lives, but her classes are her personal life right now

Comments

[datavortex]

Freakonomics basically nailed this already.

[msbeanhead]

Can you give me the Cliffs Notes version? I don't have time to read it for myself at the moment.

[datavortex]

Sorry but I simply can't do it justice from my recollection. I strongly recommend just reading the chapter in the book.

[rosindust]

Basic concept: crimes in major American cities began to decline in the 1990's. People tried attributing various factors to it (rise in the economy, more police hired, more prisons built, etc.), and while some of these things do make a difference, the Freakonomics guys also considered Roe. v Wade.

Children born to underage, uneducated, and struggling single moms are more likely to become criminals when they grow up (in theory). Therefore, 18 years after Roe v Wade, there's an entire pocket of the criminal population that was never born.

Black neighborhoods tend to get more attention for abortions because they have a higher incidence of underage pregnancies with no safety net (as opposed to white girls, who are usually college-age and come from financially solid parents). I suspect that the blacks are unhappy because everyone wants to save the beautiful unborn white baby, whereas black babies are perceived as less valuable.