President Donald Trump claimed that strong religion leads to less crime, but research suggests otherwise. A 2021 study found that male inmates are just as likely to believe in eternal punishment as the average American man, complicating Trump's assertion.
Trump's Remarks on Religion and Crime
On Tuesday, Trump told reporters, "When you have strong religion, you have less crime. It's like, 'Gee, I want to go to heaven, so I'm not going to do this or that.' Who knows." He emphasized that "religion is very important for our country" since the U.S. was built "based on religion." Trump did not specify which religion he meant. The comments came during the Rededicate 250 prayer rally, a conservative Christian event in Washington, D.C., led by evangelical leaders. Trump delivered a video address and read from the Hebrew Bible's Books of Chronicles. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also spoke. Some speakers argued the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation, a claim historians dispute.
Research Contradicts Trump's Claim
Despite Trump's assertion, research shows religion and spirituality have mixed relationships with crime. Community stemming from religion may matter most, while fear of divine punishment is a weak deterrent. Amy Adamczyk, a sociology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told HuffPost that stronger personal religious beliefs are associated with some crime-related attitudes and behaviors, but mainly for minor offenses like stealing a $10 item. "Religion doesn't seem to have much of an effect on major crimes," such as robbery, rape, or murder. The White House backed Trump's claim, with spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stating, "Once again, President Trump is right about everything! There is plentiful research to support the idea that when you have strong religion you have less crime." However, experts disagree.
Criminological Evidence
Sung Joon Jang, a research professor of criminology at Baylor University, noted that criminological research shows an inverse relationship between religiosity and criminal behavior based on observational data. But he added, "Experimenting on the religion-crime relationship is practically impossible." Some studies find that certain aspects of faith reduce criminal activity, but there is no concrete evidence identifying which aspects eliminate crime entirely. Adamczyk argues that secular laws and authorities already define wrongdoing, and people follow them. When religion deters crime, it often does so through social pressure, not faith alone. This "contextual effect" means religious people are less likely to engage in deviant acts when surrounded by other religious individuals, but this mainly applies to minor infractions like shoplifting.
Religion as a Justification for Crime
Religious environments can sometimes encourage extreme crime. "Religion can have the opposite effect," Adamczyk said, citing murder and terrorism where religion motivates violence. Belief in heaven and hell does not appear to deter crime. Jang explained, "Although there are people who choose not to commit crime in order to 'go to heaven,' empirical research does not indicate that is how religion generally works in reducing crime." A 2021 study by the Percy Foundation interviewed 526 inmates and found that most were religious before their arrests. Among sex offenders, 69.5% said faith was important, compared to 62.7% of non-sex offenders and 73% of adult men in the general population. The report noted, "It is striking that such a strong belief in eternal punishment did not deter these individuals from committing serious criminal acts." Criminals often construct religious loopholes. One 18-year-old convicted of theft said, "Jesus forgives you for all your bad shit if you donate some money to the church, or pray and say you're sorry." A 40-year-old convicted for scamming argued that others commit worse crimes, so they would go to hell instead.
Community, Not Religion, Reduces Crime
Low crime rates are more likely attributed to community. A 2025 research article found that religious congregations are associated with lower crime rates in areas with greater socioeconomic disadvantage and high income inequality. Researchers argue this is because these communities provide support systems like childcare and youth programs that affluent areas have. Adamczyk emphasized, "This is not about a fear of God, [it's about] communities and connectedness, and supporting each other and feeling like people are taking care of you, looking out for you."
