EXCLUSIVE — A new study from the Maryland Family Institute found a strong correlation between married families and lower levels of social ills.

Using data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Franciscan University of Steubenville professor David Ayers, an expert in family studies, compared different Maryland counties based on percentages of households headed by married couples. The data showed a significant correlation between a higher percentage of married households and lower levels of crime, drug use, alcohol abuse, adolescent sex, and poverty.