A forthcoming study from the Review of Economics and Statistics called Sinning in the Rain, found that the more it rains on Sunday mornings, the more white-collar, drug – and alcohol-related crimes there are.
More rain means fewer people go to church, said the study’s author, Jonathan Moreno-Medina, assistant professor of economics at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
The decline in church attendance is correlated with an increase in yearly rates of arrests for certain kinds of crime, including embezzlement, fraud, drug possession and driving under the influence.
“The results suggest that church attendance reduces the prevalence of substance-related crimes and white-collar crimes,” the study found.
“At the same time, there is a lack of evidence supporting the notion that church attendance alleviates serious crimes, such as murder, robbery or rape.”
Moreno-Medina said he has long been interested in discussions about the impact religion has on the broader culture. Some people argue religion can solve all of society’s problems, he said. Others argue religion is irrelevant.
However, “It can readily be corroborated that Sundays are the days when fewest crimes are committed and that there is no jump in crime right after the time of church,” Moreno-Medina argues in the study. Read more
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