Urban Environment, Genetics, and Crime

Gene-environment interactions are important for the development of much human behavior. We examined the possibility that a genetic propensity to criminal behavior interacts with the type of environment in which an individual is raised. Using a cohort of adoptees, we found evidence for independent contributions of biological parent criminality (genetic influence) and urban environment rearing to prediction of adoptee criminality, but no evidence for a gene-environment interaction involving these factors.     

A new method in criminology: use of ELISA to detect AFP on different materials with monoclonal anti-alpha-fetoprotein

A new method has been introduced to distinguish normal adult serum stains from fetal or newborn serum and amniotic fluid stains with ELISA in cases of criminal abortion and infanticide. The method is based on the sensitive detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) by a two-site enzyme immunoassay (EIA) following its elution with high efficiency from different materials (e.g., cotton, paper, synthetic fabric, or glass) by phosphate-buffered 0.5 M NaCl solution.     

The politics of the national assessment of chapter 1

This article describes the events associated with the National Assessment of Chapter 1, a study mandated by Congress in December 1983 in anticipation of its 1987 reauthorization of Chapter 1. The assessment occurred at the time the Reagan Administration was seriously challenging many of Congress's favorite educational programs, including Chapter 1. Despite their serious differences in views about Chapter 1, both Congress and the administration expected the assessment to serve their own needs and each group was worried that the other would have undue influence on the assessment. The article illustrates the politics associated with evaluation by describing the activities of the assessment, the responses of each of these two audiences, and the efforts of each side to control the assessment's agenda. It raises questions about whether an evaluation can really serve multiple audiences.