NCJ Number
57495
Journal
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS - LONDON Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (APRIL 1967) Pages: 311 - 318
Date Published
1967
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER REVIEWS FINDINGS OF STUDIES ON GENETIC FACTORS AND CRIME, INCLUDING THOSE ON XXY, XY/XXY, XXYY, AND XYY MALES.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH THE EVIDENCE COLLECTED IN THE LARGE NUMBER OF CHROMOSOME STUDIES IS INCONCLUSIVE, A VARIETY OF PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS AND STATEMENTS CAN BE MADE. MEN WITH XXY, XY/XXY, XXYY, AND XYY SEX CHROMOSOME COMPLEMENTS ARE FOUND IN HIGH NUMBERS AMONG THE POPULATIONS OF SPECIAL AND STATE HOSPITALS FOR THE MENTALLY SUBNORMAL AND FOR MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS. PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT XYY MALES ALSO MAY BE FOUND IN UNUSUAL NUMBERS AMONG ORDINARY PRISONERS (ALTHOUGH A STUDY OF ADMISSIONS TO THE SCOTTISH BORSTALS INDICATES THAT THEY ARE RARE IN THIS GROUP OF YOUNG MALE OFFENDERS) WHEN COMPARED WITH THE NEWBORN POPULATION OR THE POPULATION OF ORDINARY ADULT MALES. STUDIES ALSO INDICATE THAT MALES WITH AN EXTRA X OR Y CHROMOSOME ARE SLIGHTLY TALLER THAN THE AVERAGE MALE. ALTHOUGH FURTHER RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED ON SEX CHROMOSOME ABNORMALITIES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON BEHAVIOR, INTELLIGENCE, AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, THERE IS SUFFICIENT DATA TO INDICATE THAT CYTOGENETIC STUDIES CAN BE REWARDING IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. REFERENCES AND STUDY DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)