NCJ Number
59385
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
TYPES OF STUDIES LINKING THE XYY CHROMOSOME PATTERN WITH CRIMINALITY ARE DISCUSSED, HIGHLIGHTING THE ORIGINS OF THE XYY CRIMINALITY THEORY AND ITS EFFECT ON PUBLIC OPINION.
Abstract
THE CONCEPT THAT CRIMINAL TENDENCIES ARE HEREDITARY AND THAT 'BORN CRIMINALS' ARE CHARACTERIZED BY PHYSICAL STIGMA WAS FIRST INTRODUCED BY CESARE LOMBROSO IN THE MID-1800'S AND ESPOUSED BY FOLLOWERS SUCH AS DUGDALE, GORING, GODDARD, AND OTHERS. LINKING THE XYY CHROMOSOME PATTERN WITH CRIMINALITY BEGAN IN 1961, WHEN SANBERG AND HIS ASSOCIATES REPORTED THE FIRST CASE OF THIS VARIATION DURING A SCREENING TEST; LEADING JACOBS AND ASSOCIATES IN 1965 TO PROPOSE THE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ABNORMALITY AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. THE METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED IN THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF XYY STUDIES HAS LED TO ERRONEOUS SUPPORT OF THE THEORY. FREQUENCY STUDIES HAVE OFTEN BEEN UNDERTAKEN ONLY IN MENTAL AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS, RESULTING IN DATA UNREPRESENTATIVE OF THE GENERAL POPULATION. IN ADDITION, SINCE JACOBS ESTABLISHED THAT THE XXY PATTERN IS OBSERVED MOST FREQUENTLY IN TALL MALES, ONLY TALL MALES ARE TESTED. SIMILARLY, RATE OF APPEARANCE STUDIES ARE NOT GENERALLY REPRESENTATIVE SINCE DATA IS USUALLY OBTAINED IN NONPRIVATE HOSPITALS. BACKGROUND STUDIES ARE ALSO SKEWED BECAUSE THEY ARE BASED ON AVAILABLE RECORDS ONLY (I.E., CRIMINAL HISTORIES AND MILITARY RECORDS). IN ADDITION, FOLLOWUP STUDIES ARE HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE AND ARE BASED ON BEHAVIORAL DESCRIPTIONS OF PARENTS AND RESEARCHER INTERPRETATION. CASE STUDIES ARE ALSO INVALID BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUALS WERE SELECTED FOR THEIR ALREADY EXHIBITED UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR. BECAUSE OF THE PUBLICITY GIVEN THEIR THEORIES, THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS COME TO BELIEVE THAT CRIME IS THE RESULT OF 'CRIMINAL GENES'. AS A CONSEQUENCE, SEVERAL STATE LEGISLATURES ARE CONSIDERING DISCONTINUING REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (LWM)