NCJ Number
27321
Date Published
1972
Length
8 pages
Annotation
AN EVALUATION AND CRITIQUE OF STUDIES LINKING CRIMINALITY TO THE XYY CHROMOSOME SYNDROME.
Abstract
BIOLOGICALLY ORIENTED RESEARCH CONDUCTED PRIOR TO THE XYY STUDIES IS REVIEWED, AS ARE THE CHROMOSOMAL DEVIATION STUDIES. METHDOLOOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE LATTER, SUCH AS THE SAMLL AND POSSIBLY BIASED SAMPLES, ARE CRITICIZED. ALLEGED THEORETICAL DEFICIENCIES, SUCH AS FAILURE TO PROPOSE A CAUSAL CHAIN AND LACK OF SPECIFICITY ARE ALSO TREATED. IT IS SUGGESTED, HOWEVER, THAT AN INCOMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS AND CRIMINALITY DOES NOT DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY THAT SUCH A REATIONSHIP DOES EXIST. SHOULD THIS PROVE TRUE, IMPLICATIONS FOR PENOLOGY AND THE CONCEPT OF CRIMINAL REPONSIBILITY ARE DISCUSSED.