RECIDIVISM.....
"CAN FOOD MAKE PEOPLE BEHAVE VIOLENTLY?"
Extracts from a report published in the Christchurch N.Z. "PRESS", AS LONG AGO AS September 8, 1983.....(findings which have been confirmed by later studies as well.....but, it seems, IGNORED by those who could take appropriate action...)
Quoting Geoffrey Cannon in the "SUNDAY TIMES", "Some VIOLENT behaviour can arise from intense feelings, caused, not only by drink and drugs, but ALSO by some common FOODS..."
New Zealander Dr Michael Colgan - who runs (ran) a centre in California: "I am convinced that criminal behaviour can be caused by bad food, (particularly SUGAR, excess SALT, and CAFFEINE), and prevented and treated by good food." It has been found that RECIDIVISM can be REDUCED by approx. 60-70%! (Studies carried out in Washington, California and Virginia.) " Further, 80-90% of offenders in Correctional Institutions have hypoglycaemia (caused by diet etc) and linked to symptoms of deviant behaviour...and increased substance-abuse.."
This view is shared by, e.g.:-
Dr Alexander Schauss, in "Diet, Crime and Delinquency",
Dr Leonard Rippchen, American CRIMINOLOGIST, who says, "ADDICTION to Refined SUGAR is considered by many to be the PRIMARY and ORIGINAL addiction in susceptible individuals, leading in late adolescence, or adult life, to drug addiction and alcoholism.."
Rev Vic Ramsay, in Newark, treated 50 long-stay drug ADDICTS, aged 22-27, taking them off beef-burgers and other foods saturated with fat, salt and sugar, and replacing those with fresh, lightly-cooked whole foods and wholemeal breads. "There were COLOSSAL CHANGES in behaviour patterns....they became less aggressive, less refractory, LESS VIOLENT.."
Dr Colgan, Rev Ramsay and Mr Earl Kitchener, Director of London's Wholefood Store, prepared a report on the subject of FOOD IN PRISON.
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(I have never seen any further mention of their report, or the above research.........despite the concern over the need to build more prisons, the violence in prisons and in society, the predominance of reoffending...etc.! N.S.)
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The following Points were made by a Youth Court Judge; and below that, my thoughts in response, as to possibilities for ….reducing crime, violent crime, and recidivism.........
1. In New Zealand, our crime-rate IS going down for female and male criminal acts, and somewhat less of a decrease for Maori.
2. However, violent crime is not reducing, and the Youth Court finds that most of the youths involved have come from disadvantaged circumstances.....e.g. abusive families where violence is chronic; and in that sense, it's generational.
3. 45% of those who come to the Youth Court system, go on to re-offend.
4. Interventions are possible and are intensively practised - working with a family, and other initiatives. Is it too late by the time a person is, say, 17 years old? It's never too late; but the longer the tendency to crime continues, the harder it is to turn those habits around.
5. Female offenders of e.g. 15-16 years of age, thinking and acting as 24 year olds, because of past experiences and reactions, are increasing in number...(often they have been abused, families dysfunctional, etc.)
6. NEW ZEALAND has one of the worst rates of child-abuse in the WORLD.
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WHY?????
As a former Staff-Nurse, Free-lance writer and informal researcher, with a particular interest in social issues, human (and animal) wellbeing, nutrition and diet in relation to ill- health and prevention, my impressions are as follows:
Regarding points 1 and 2 above: It is certain that the biggest factor in making ANY situation more conducive to the development of violence, is the over-use of ALCOHOL. I would suggest that although crime/violent crime, is often found to be generational, that is not because it is "in the blood" - but because each generation follows the same or similar habits of eating, drinking and lifestyle.
And the greater proportion of crimes among Maori, could well be because Maori, historically, are not used to the typical Western diet - (which their young ones met when they moved into the cities) - of nutrition-less "foods" and drinks, very high in sugar, salt, chemical additives, pesticides, and so on. Their bodies (nervous system, digestive system, mood, etc.) would react to those things even more severely than do the bodies of non-Maori. (see article above, "Can Food Make People Behave Violently?" - proven research by qualified, experienced people.) For those reasons, each generation will have been repeating the tendencies, ever since the harmful, "junk" foods and drinks were introduced into N.Z.
Point 3: New Zealand's (former)Prime Minister, The Rt Hon. John KEY has commented that we must make sure that we stop offenders from RE-OFFENDING. Given, even, just the factors above, relating to the drastic effects on the immune system - the stomach, pancreas, liver, intestines, blood etc., of damaging, so-called 'foods' - PARTICULARLY SUGAR, very heavily addictive, which halts the action of the immune-system, and which scientists recently claimed will even feed tumours - I believe it is obvious and urgent that a way must be found, to build-up rather than allow the breaking-down, of the health - nerves, moods and behaviour - of our young people. If the Government won’t act to control the amount of sugar and other non-food 'junk’ allowed in products, (something to do with producers' tax payments?!) some other way must be found Thereby, the problems of the obscene costs of recidivism, prison- building, remedial treatments, unemployed offenders, and so on could be immensely reduced, leading to a happier, healthier youth population. (Not to mention the costs, also obscene, of healthcare for diabetes, obesity, heart problems, and even, we now realise, cancer!)
Point 5: I have a suspicion that the increase in female crime - in addition to past family experiences - may be partly due also to the fact that girls can be more sensitive to their surroundings, social habits and 'fashions' and so on. Given the heavy emphasis in recent decades, on one's "rights" (often regardless of the rights of others), and on the very shallow concept of love and relationships being a matter of sexiness, the resulting envy and jealousy among females has increased competitiveness, and fighting for what one wants! Again, their diet and lifestyle affects them very badly, as detailed above – they become more and more irritable and then aggressive – their bodies and brains being highly irritated and over-stimulated by the wrong “foods”.
Point 6: This is an absolutely disgraceful situation for our country to be in. The abuse (exacerbated by alcohol) of helpless, innocent children and babies, often by parents or others who know them, is a particularly black mark upon our society.
Some of the causative factors would seem to be:- Alcohol, added to unhealthy bodies and nervous systems, as above, plus the stresses of unemployment, poor finances (and possibly, sometimes, the poor use of money), past experiences and habits of parents and their parents, social attitudes among classes of people.........and other stresses such as wanting to "keep up with the Joneses" in order to justify themselves.
It has been said that we can judge the attitude - the moral stance - of a country, by the way it treats its most vulnerable.
Does the way we treat our MOST vulnerable, i.e. those most helpless at our hands - the animals - have any bearing on the next most vulnerable, our babies and children?? It's fairly well established now, that if a person can show cruelty, even violence, towards helpless animals, then it is a very small step to show the same approach to small humans, and therefore, for many children growing-up seeing cruelty, to become cruel themselves, as adults. Years ago, school-children were forced to watch "biology" lessons during which small, helpless, innocent creatures were dissected! What damage to sensitive, young minds and hearts - who normally have a love for animals!
Finally, I believe the Government should put an added tax on sugar, and unhealthy foods and drinks, regardless of any 'disadvantage' to producers; reinstate the requirement for healthy foods and drinks in school tuck-shops, and especially in HOSPITALS, our guardians of health!! i.e., New Zealanders should be encouraged, by every EFFECTIVE means possible, to replace SUGAR (an extremely addictive substance), and excess salt and fats, with fresh, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, nuts (walnuts, almonds etc), and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower etc) all preferably freed from GST!!! And from pesticides!!
Then watch and see the improvement in many aspects in our society!
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