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Heterogeneity of causes for delinquency and criminality: Lifespan perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2008

Lisabeth Fisher Dilalla  and
Irving I. Gottesman
Lisabeth Fisher Dilalla*
Affiliation:
Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado
Irving I. Gottesman
Affiliation:
University of Virginia
*
Address reprint requests to: Lisabeth Fischer DiLalla, Institute for behavioral Genetics, Box 447, University of Colorado, Boulder, Co 80309-0447.
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Abstract

This review of family, twin, and adoption studies on offender behaviors points to the importance of a genetic predisposition as a partial explanation for criminality in some populations. Twin and adoption studies show that criminality increases with the presence of criminality in biological relatives; the environmental effects of having a criminal adoptive parent also increase the risk of adoptee criminality. Delinquency is described developmentally as a fairly typical phase for many adolescents. Because of the high base rate for delinquency, any genetic predisposition for offense behaviors may be difficult to uncover in adolescence. Three groups are differentiated that may aid in this detection: continuous antisocials are delinquents who continue to be criminal as adults; transitory delinquents are delinquents but not criminals; and late bloomers are criminals but not delinquents.

Type
Research Article
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 1 , Issue 4 , October 1989 , pp. 339 - 349
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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