The Halloween stories were really scary when the baby boomers were still children, and a majority of American households had kids. Most of them knew the tales of razor blades being found in apples, and needles and poisons being discovered in Halloween candy.
One problem: they were not true. Not even a little bit, says sociologist and criminal justice professor Joel Best from the University of Delaware. He has spent most of four decades researching the tales, and has yet to find a true incident of a child being injured or killed by a stranger through Halloween treats. We spend some time with Dr. Best, learning why some stories take such a hold on the public imagination.