Rising temperatures possibly linked to increased city crime rate
Criminal justice expert J.Z. Bennett speaks to Fox 19 about heat and crime
A heat advisory is in effect for most of the tristate; and while a rise in crime and rising temperatures do correlate there is no single cause, says J.Z. Bennett, an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Criminal Justice.
There are, however, obvious ways to keep young people out of the crime mix during the summer break, he tells Fox 10 News Now.
“Idle time is the Devil’s playground,” Bennett said in the segement when describing the propensity for youth to get into trouble if not overseen at home or at planned activities such as camps and workshops.
Bennett explained that teenagers often lack a developed “braking mechanism” and can get carried away when with their peers. He also cites a study where youth make more volatile decisions when in the company of their friends, decisions they did not make when the task asked for a solo decision.
Bennett joined the faculty of UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services in 2022.
Feature photo at top: Adobe
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
High Court offers protections for therapy speech
April 5, 2026
Jennifer Bard, a professor in the Donald P. Klekamp College of Law and the UC Department of Internal Medicine, spoke with journalists about the US Supreme Court ruling granting first amendment protections for speech offered during therapy sessions.
Scientists discover how snakes stand upright without limbs
April 3, 2026
Smithsonian magazine highlights a study co-authored by UC Professor Bruce Jayne, an expert in snake locomotion, about how snakes stand upright without arms or legs.
UC CubeCats satellite makes hiss-tory at NASA
April 2, 2026
UC Students Launch First Satellite April 8. Help Send Bearcats to NASA Liftoff as they make history for UC and Ohio.