Moon Lore: science fair student studies lunar phases & crime

Is crime worse during a full moon, a new moon or other moon?

By RIC ROUTLEDGE
rroutledge@muncie.gannett.com

MUNCIE -- Tradition suggests that there is more crime and mayhem during a full moon. But Nolan Cockrell's parents -- both of whom are police officers -- suggested to him that the most crime occurs during the darkened phase of the moon known as a new moon.
Cockrell, a 15-year-old ninth-grader from Northwestern High School in Kokomo decided to test how the moon affects crime.

According to his statistics, Cockrell learned that neither of the two above theories about the moon and crime was corect. Most burglaries in his area were committed during the first quarter of the moon, and the last quarter of the moon phase was next.

He is thinking about becoming an architect or animator because his parents "want me to experience other things in life than being a police officer."

(Was it Edison who said something about eliminating 10,000 incorrect things, to find the one thing that does work?)

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