Maharishi Effect
Decreased Crime Rate in U.S. Cities I
Crime rate decreased an average of 8.2% from 1972 to 1973 in 11 cities in which 1% or more of their population began the practice of Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation program by 1972. In contrast, crime rate increased an average of 8.3% in 11 matched control cities.
Reference: Borland & Landrith, 1976.
Population influenced: 11 U.S. cities with population between 25,000 and 100,000, compared to matched control cities.
Coherence group: More than 1% of the population instructed in the TM program by 1972.
Dependent variables: Rate of total Part 1 crimes from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Experimental design: Analysis of covariance comparison with 11 control cities matched for population, college population, and geographic region, change from 1972 to 1973.
Results: An 8.2% decrease in 1% cities, an 8.3% increase in control cities (p<.001). The 1% cities represented all sections of the nation. Increased crime in the control cities was typical of the nationwide trend.
Conclusions: Decreased crime in the 1% cities could not be attributed to year, population, region, or initial crime rate. Evidence supports a phase transition model of increased coherence in society.
Reference: Borland, C. & Landrith, G., III. (1976). Improved quality of city life through the Transcendental Meditation program: Decreased crime rate. In D.W. Orme-Johnson & J.T. Farrow (Eds.), Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program: Collected Papers (Vol. 1, pp. 639-648). Rheinweiler, W. Germany: Maharishi European Research University Press.
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