NCJ Number
215975
Journal
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: 2006 Pages: 177-182
Date Published
2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Given a body of evolving data that suggest the hazards of low cholesterol, including links to aggression and hostility, this study compared the serum lipid profile and serum apolipoproteins A1 and B (both determine whether lipids are deposited in tissue or metabolized in the liver and excreted) of men with a violent criminal record and men with no criminal history.
Abstract
The men with the violent criminal record had significantly lower total cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol, higher apolipoprotein A1, and lower apolipoprotein B compared with the control group. The findings on the link between low cholesterol levels and violent behavior are similar to those in previous studies. The findings on apolipoproteins A1 and B and violence are new. These findings are consistent with the study's hypothesis and with the expectation that higher apolipoprotein A1 and lower apolipoprotein B result in lower serum cholesterol. The authors advise that for these findings to have practical application, more substantial evidence is required on a direct effect of lipid metabolism on human behavior or associations due to a common genetic basis or other factors. Subsequent research findings may have implications for the prison diets of violent offenders. Blood samples after fasting were collected from 30 men with a known history of violent crime and 30 men with no criminal record. Serum lipid profile and serum apolipoproteins A1 and B were measured in each sample and compared between the two groups of men. 1 table and 26 references