DescriptionThough physiological effects of exposure to lead on cognitive function and crime have been discussed in the current literature, no studies to date have examined other air pollutants and climate/weather variables to assess multiple environmental factors and their potential impact on reported crime. Methods: Data were collected through open public records provided by study location municipalities to assess the impact of environmental factors on daily crime rates in Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia and Seattle. Poisson regression analyses were performed to investigate associations between carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and climate/weather compared to several crime types. Results: Increases in PM2.5 concentrations were associated with increases in assault, damage and theft crimes while increases in apparent temperature were associated with increases in assault, burglary, robbery and theft crimes. Pollutants known to cause irritation, like PM10 and O3, were associated with decreases in crime rates. Conclusion: Environmental factors are associated with observable crime rate variability. Additional studies are needed to further understand the relationships between environmental factors and crime in order to reduce the adverse effects.