Experts: Porn shops don't hike crime

Journal Inquirer - State/Region - 04/17/2006 - Experts: Porn shops don't hike crime: "Opponents of a new sexually oriented store in town told the Board of Directors in February that the business would bring more sexually related crime, attract dangerous people, and hurt local children.


Having Very Intimate Pleasures, or VIP, open in the former Huffman-Koos store at the Tolland Turnpike exit from Interstate 84 also would cause an image problem for the 'city of village charm,' speakers said.

But experts in the field say there's no proof that a store that sells pornography will cause additional crime.

Lori Sudderth, an associate professor at Quinnipiac University with a doctorate in sociology, says there's no evidence that pornography causes 'sexually aggressive behavior.'

'We can link it to attitude; we can't link it to sexually-related behavior,' she says.

Clinton Sanders, a University of Connecticut professor and an expert in deviant behavior, strongly agrees.'There's absolutely no causal relationship,' he says. 'All those arguments are a smokescreen for the main concern: That these are dirty things and we don't want dirty people coming here.'"