ABSTRACT
Jon Beckwith and Jonathan King (1974) New Scientist, pp74-476
The XYY syndrome: a dangerous myth
The notion that a male with an extra Y chromosome is likely to develop anti-social or even criminal behaviour has passed out of science and into social and medical folklore. But an increasing number of resarchers are now challenging the original science: they say the link between XYY and criminal behaviour is casual rather than causal, and that psychiatric intervention is more likly to precipitate abnormal behaviour rather than prevent it.
