'Childhood lead exposure not linked to adult criminal behaviour'
New York: Dispelling previous findings, a new study has said that children exposed to lead at a young age are less likely to be involved in criminal practices later in adulthood.
Responses toward lead exposure should focus on health consequences, and not potential criminal consequences, the study suggested.
Lead is a neurotoxin with well-documented effects on health.
Previous studies detected associations between childhood blood lead level and criminal offending owing to the toxic effect of lead disproportionately affecting people with low socioeconomic status.
However, the new study weakens association between lead exposure and adult criminal behaviour, the researchers said.
"There is no clear association between higher childhood blood lead levels and a greater risk for criminal behaviour (a dose-response relationship) in settings where blood lead levels are similar across low and high socioeconomic status," said Amber L. Beckley, from the Duke University, in North Carolina.
For the study, detailed in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the team involved 553 individuals from New Zealand, whose blood lead levels were measured at age 11.
There cumulative criminal conviction, self-reported criminal offending, recidivism (repeat conviction), and violence were followed up to age 38.
The researchers removed low socioeconomic status as a factor because high blood lead levels were observed among children from all socioeconomic groups.
The results showed that childhood lead exposure was weakly associated with conviction and self-reported criminal offending up to age 38.
Further, lead exposure was also not associated with recidivism or violence.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
