Question

How strong is the relationship between IQ and criminal behavior? Why are individuals with lower IQ scores more likely to engage in crime?

Answer 1

Some psychologists tried to show relationship between intelligence and delinquency. Healy and Bronner in their study of delinquents reported that 37% of delinquents were in subnormal range of intelligence. They concluded that delinquency was 5-10 times more likely to occur among the mentally handicapped than among the normal group.

Thus their study shows that there is a strong relation between IQ and criminal behaviour. Another study by John Slawson shows that : 8 out of 10 delinquents did not gain scores comparable to non delinquents in abstract intelligence. According to the study of H.H Goddard, " every investigation of the mentality of criminals, delinquents and other antisocial group has proved beyond the possibility of contradiction...that all are of low mentality...the greatest single cause of delinquency and crime is low grade mentality."