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Crimino-biologic study of patients with the XYY syndrome and Klinefelter's syndrome

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Summary

12 psychopathic patients with chromosome aberrations found among 480 individuals in two institutions for criminal psychopaths in Denmark have been crimino-biologically investigated. 5 of these individuals have Klinefelter's syndrome, 5 are of the XYY karyotype, 1 is 46,XY/47,XY ?Xq- mosaic, and the remaining one is 46, ?Xp-Y.

The mean age at first offence is 18.5 years; 83% are recidivists with the mean number of sentences being 7.0. The criminal acts of 5 patients with the XYY syndrome consist mainly of petty thieving, indecency and arson. The criminal offences of 5 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome is mainly petty thieving, sexual offences and less violent crimes. The relationships between the individual criminal life curve, age at first offence, number of sentences, criminality among siblings, milieu factors, intelligence, and psychiatric diagnosis are discussed.

Psychoinfantile personality is pronounced in 5 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome. Schizoid personality was remarkable in 3 patients with the XYY syndrome.

Zusammenfassung

12 psychopathische Patienten mit Chromosomenaberrationen, die unter 480 Insassen von zwei Anstalten für kriminelle Psychopathen in Dänemark gefunden wurden, wurden kriminalbiologisch untersucht: 5 von ihnen hatten das Klinefelter-Syndrom, 5 zeigten den XYY-Karyotyp, 1 war 46, XY/47,XY,?Xq-Mosaik, der letzte war 46, ?Xp-Y.

Das Durchschnittsalter bei dem ersten Vergehen war 18,5 Jahre; 83% wurden rückfällig; die durchschnittliche Zahl der Verurteilungen betrug 7,0. Die Vergehen der 5 Personen mit XYY-Syndrom bestanden vor allem aus geringfügigen Diebereien, Sittlichkeitsvergehen und Brandstiftung. Die Vergehen der 5 Patienten mit Klinefelter-Syndrom setzten sich vor allem zusammen aus geringfügigen Diebereien, sexuellen Vergehen und weniger gewaltsamen Vergehen. Die Beziehungen zwischen den individuellen Lebensläufen bezüglich der Kriminalität, dem Alter beim ersten Vergehen, der Zahl der Verurteilungen, der Kriminalität unter Geschwistern, den Milieufaktoren, der Intelligenz und der psychiatrischen Diagnose werden diskutiert. Bei 5 Patienten mit Klinefelter-Syndrom finden sich deutliche Zeichen einer “psychoinfantilen Persönlichkeit”. 3 Patienten mit XYY-Syndrom zeigten deutliche schizoide Züge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Anthropologie und Humangenetik der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Takayuki Tsuboi

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  1. Takayuki Tsuboi
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The author dedicates this paper to emeritus Prof. Dr. S. Yoshimasu on his 70th birthday.

Stipendiat of the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung.

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Tsuboi, T. Crimino-biologic study of patients with the XYY syndrome and Klinefelter's syndrome. Humangenetik 10, 68–84 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00297642

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00297642

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