Parental criminality and medical histories of delinquent children

Abstract
It was observed that many of the delinquent children of psychiatrically impaired and/or criminal parents had remarkably adverse health histories. The medical histories of 20 delinquent children with criminal parents and 85 delinquent children with less obviously maladapted parents were compared. A strong association was found between paternal criminality and serious medical problems in these delinquent children. The behavioral manifestations resulting from such physical illness or neglect, although they appear genetic in nature, may reflect the physical and psychological consequences of parental neglect and/or battering.

This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit: