The EPA's recorded releases of toxic metals are not predicted by these demographic or socio-economic variables. As Masters says, neurotoxicity is only one of many factors contributing to violence, but he believes it may be especially important in explaining why violent crime rates differ so widely between geographic areas and by ethnic group. Masters says that traditional sociological approaches to crime cannot explain why the availability of handguns or drugs triggers violent behavior in only a small proportion of the population, a proportion that varies greatly from place to place. Part of the explanation may be the way the physical environment affects brain chemistry and behavior, Masters says. When our brain chemistry is altered by exposure to toxins, we lose the natural restraint that holds our violent tendencies in check, Masters believes.
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