A divine deterrent: Populations with a strong belief in Hell have lower crime-rates, according to study

Religions are thought to serve as a deterrent against unethical behaviors.

However, when it comes to predicting criminal behavior, the specific religious beliefs one holds is the determining factor, says a University of Oregon psychologist.

The study, appearing in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE, found that criminal activity is lower in societies where people's religious beliefs contain a strong punitive component than in places where religious beliefs are more benevolent.

Welcome to Hell: The University of Oregon study suggests a real link between populations who believe this is real, and the crime-rate

A country where many more people believe in heaven than in hell, for example, is likely to have a much higher crime rate than one where these beliefs are about equal.

The finding surfaced from a comprehensive analysis of 26 years of data involving 143,197 people in 67 countries.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2161985/A-divine-deterrent-Populations-strong-belief-Hell-lower-crime-rates-according-study.html