NCJ Number
55499
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
USING THREE MULTIFACTORIAL MODELS OF DISEASE TRANSMISSION IN WHICH THE PREVALENCE OF DISEASE DIFFERS BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE OFFSPRING, THIS STUDY ANALYZES FAMILY DATA ON CRIMINAL AND ALCOHOLISM FOR MALE AND FEMALE TWINS.
Abstract
DATA COMPATIBLE WITH MULTIFACTORIAL TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR CONGENITAL MALFORMATION AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, SUCH AS SCHIZOPHRENIA, SOCIOPATHY, AND HYSTERIA. IN THIS STUDY, THREE INDEPENDENT SETS OF FAMILY DATA--ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY, ALCOHOLISM, AND CRIMINALITY--ARE ANALYZED ACCORDING TO ISOCORRELATIONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND INDEPENDENT MODELS. DATA WERE COLLECTED ON FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES OF 60 TWINS ON PAROLE OR PROBATION FOR FELONY OFFENSES IN ST. LOUIS, MO., AND FROM CRIMINAL RECORDS ON 3,966 DANISH TWINS BORN BETWEEN 1881 AND 1910. RESULTS INDICATE THAT SEX DIFFERENCES IN FAMILY AND POPULATION DATA MAY BE DETERMINED BY GENETIC FACTORS, HOME ENVIRONMENT, OR SOCIOCULTURAL INFLUENCES. THUS, THE SAME FAMILIAL (GENETIC PLUS ENVIRONMENTAL) AND NONFAMILIAL INFLUENCES APPEAR TO CAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY IN BOTH SEXES, AND AFFECTED MEN AND WOMEN DIFFER ONLY IN THE DEGREE TO WHICH FAMILIAL FACTORS ARE REQUIRED FOR THEM TO MANIFEST ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. SERIOUS CRIMINALITY OCCURS IN A SIMILAR FASHION, BUT THERE IS A SUGGESTION THAT FAMILIAL FACTORS PREDISPOSING INDIVIDUALS TO SERIOUS CRIME MAY OVERLAP ONLY PARTLY FOR THE SEXES. IN CONTRAST, MALE AND FEMALE ALCOHOLICS DIFFER IN NONFAMILIAL ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES BUT NOT FAMILIAL FACTORS. RELATED STUDIES ARE REVIEWED, AND REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)