Fatherhood Can Help Change a Man's Bad Habits, University of Houston Study

After men become fathers for the first time, they show significant decreases in crime, tobacco and alcohol use, according to a new, 19-year study. Researchers assessed more than 200 at-risk boys annually from the age of 12 to 31, and examined how men's crime, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use changed over time. While previous studies showed that marriage can change a man's negative behavior, they had not isolated the additional effects of fatherhood.