2020

violence peaks in early adulthood

Genetics and Life Outcomes

The doctor has news for a pregnant couple. Their child has a genetic and hormonal condition that has serious consequences. People of this profile are ten times as likely to kill, ten times as likely to be murdered, ten times as likely to be incarcerated, and ten times as likely to be killed by the police. Also more likely to be institutionalized, addicted, or homeless. Way more likely to be a sexual predator, even from a young age. 

The parents say that biology is not destiny, and the doctor agrees. These outcomes are the result of the interaction of biology and society. That said, it’s this society that the child will grow up in, and researchers see roughly the same pattern repeated in societies all over the globe. 

The parents ask what the odds are and what life is like for these people. The doctor says that most of them can be brought up to have quite successful lives, especially in terms of worldly success. On some occasions they lead lives of astounding achievement. Even if they avoid lives of crime, destitution, or isolation, however, their connections to their own children will probably be weaker, possibly connections to friends as well. 

Hearing the description of this profile, the parents talk it over. How would they would feel if they carried this pregnancy to term and then the child grew up to kill or rape someone? Would they be partly responsible? For my part, if my late wife and I had gotten this news, we would have had the kid. What do you think?

And have folks heard of the condition I’m describing? It’s quite common. 

It's a boy.