NCJ Number
36245
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1976) Pages: 245-256
Date Published
1976
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE THEORY THAT STRESS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ATYPICAL AUTONOMIC ACTIVITY WHICH CAN LATER BE USED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN OFFENDERS OF VARIOUS KINDS AND NON-OFFENDERS.
Abstract
INFORMATION CONCERNING PULSE RATES TAKEN FROM 3,914 BOYS AND GIRLS BEFORE (FIRST PULSE RATE) AND AFTER A MEDICAL EXAMINATION AT AGE ELEVEN YEARS WAS CORRELATED WITH DATA COLLECTED CONTEMPORANEOUSLY IN BOTH THE EARLIER AND LATER LIVES OF THE CHILDREN. EXPOSURE TO STRESS IN THE FORM OF A HOME BROKEN BEFORE THE AGE OF FOUR YEARS AND TWO MONTHS WAS FOUND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN NORMAL FIRST PULSE RATES, BUT ONLY AMONG BOYS AND ONLY IF THE HOME HAD BEEN BROKEN BY DIVORCE OR SEPARATION. IT WAS ALSO FOUND AMONG BOYS THAT FIRST PULSE RATES OF 84 HEART BEATS PER MINUTE OR LESS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF 54.3 PER CENT OF NON-DELINQUENTS, 66.7 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO LATER (UP TO AGE 21 YEARS) COMMITTED SEXUAL OFFENSES, AND 80.9 PER CENT OF LATER VIOLENT OFFENDERS. RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT ALTHOUGH FINDINGS IN THIS PAPER ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH OTHERS IN ASSOCIATING ATYPICAL AUTONOMIC RESPONSE WITH DELINQUENCY, IT HAS NOT FOUND THAT EARLY EMOTIONAL DEPRIVATION, IN THE FORM OF HOMES BROKEN BY DEATHS, SEPARATION, OR DIVORCE OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON, IS A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION OF THIS ASSOCIATION. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.