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XYY SURVEY IN AN INSTITUTION FOR SEX OFFENDERS AND THE MENTALLY ILL

NCJ Number
57013
Journal
Nature Volume: 224 Dated: (OCTOBER 1969) Pages: 369-370
Author(s)
J MELNYK; A DERENCSENYI; F VANASEK; A J RUCCI; H THOMPSON
Date Published
1969
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE REPORTS A SURVEY OF 200 TALL ANTISOCIAL MEN IN A CALIFORNIA STATE HOSPITAL INDICATING THAT THE INCIDENCE OF THE 47,XYY TRAIT IS HIGHER IN MENTALLY DISORDERED SEX OFFENDERS THAN IN THE CRIMINALLY INSANE.
Abstract
THE 200 MALE PATIENTS WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR HEIGHT (6 FEET OR TALLER) FROM A TOTAL POPULATION OF 1,400 PATIENTS AT THE MAXIMUM SECURITY ATASCADERO STATE HOSPITAL. CHROMOSOME ABNORMALITIES WERE FOUND IN 8 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE, ALTHOUGH AN EARLIER SURVEY FOUND NO SUCH ABNORMALITIES IN A SAMPLE OF 401 NORMAL MALES OVER 6 FEET TALL. THE SAMPLE OF PATIENTS WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS ACCORDING TO THEIR PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS. THE MENTALLY DISORDERED SEX OFFENDERS (MDSO) WERE CHARACTERIZED BY DEFICIENCIES IN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WHICH LED TO THEIR CONFINEMENT FOR CRIMES SUCH AS CHILD MOLESTATION AND RAPE. THE MENTALLY ILL, CRIMINALLY INSANE OFFENDERS (MICI) WERE DIAGNOSED AS PSYCHOTICS AND COMMITTED FOR CRIMES SUCH AS ARSON AND HOMICIDE. ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF PERSONS SURVEYED WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR FIRM CONCLUSIONS, THE FINDINGS DID SUGGEST A GREATER FREQUENCY OF THE 47,XYY KARYOTYPE IN THE MDSO GROUP THAN IN THE MICI GROUP. A NEAR NORMAL INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT WAS FOUND AMONG ALL THE 47,XYY SUBJECTS IN THE MDSO GROUP, WHILE THOSE IN THE MICI GROUP WERE BELOW AVERAGE IN INTELLIGENCE. THE RESULTS OF PREVIOUS STUDIES ARE COMPARED. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)