Posted: 6/16/2004 3:46:08 PM EDT
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Do you think there is a correlation between a low IQ (or just low intelligence) and a tendency to do evil acts, or acts that harm other people (violent)? I ask this because a lot of people who are in prisons seem to have lower intelligence levels. Rapists, killers, etc. we've all seen them...have IQ's in the 70's or 80's. While, it is true that there are very intelligent people who commit crimes, I think they for the most part commit white collar crimes like embezzlement or forgery, not violent crimes. Also, intelligent people DO commit violent crimes as well, but they get away with it longer than those who have low IQ's. Also, I think they are the exception rather than what makes most of the population in our prison system. This would pose an interesting point if we can somehow link violent behavior to a biological rather moral factor, namely low intelligence. |
If that is the case, we have a valid reason to avoid at all cost, people of low intelligence outside of family members, or perhaps even family members (without feeling guilty of being elitists). |
Or maybe we can just try better to give people educations. There are also other factors to include in this, such as maybe people with lower IQ's are more likely to live in poverty, and people living in poverty might be more likely to commit crime... |
Hmmm. Your posit is that we should avoid people of low intelligence because the majority of people incarcerated for violent crimes have low intelligence. A disproportinate number of people incarcerated for violent crimes are Black. Are you going to avoid african americans as well? |
I don't think education will make a person whose brain functions at a certain level more intelligent, if you get my meaning. I don't think it will elevate his level of mental functioning. He will know more trivia, but he will not grasp modes of thinking inherent in people with higher levels of brain functioning. I referring to behavior that relates to social interaction, not skills or professional knowledge. Proverty is also not much of an excuse because there are plenty of people who rose out of their poverty because of their intelligence, and did not resort to antisocial or criminally violent behavior. |
I'm not going to pursue that point. |
I already stated most serial killers are well educated. They tend to be middle aged, white males of good intellect who just have really messed up mental issues. Of course you should keep in mind serial killers are pretty rare, prisons are usually filled with typical criminals in for petty theft, assault, drug charges, etc, etc. |
I'm just saying poverty could have a part to play in this. A person is not created by genetics alone, environment can play a big role in a childs development. |
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I don't think intelligence has anything to do with violence. I think the environments that intelligent people are placed in and put themselves in have less of a tendency to require violence. Intelligent people are taught "better ways to solve their problems", but I don't think that has anything to do with any inherent or genetic "smarts". I also think that if you are truly intelligent, you know that oftentimes violence, or the threat of violence, is the best, quickest, and most effective way to solve a problem. Intelligent people just know how to not get caught. |
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i don't think so. when i was working EMS some of the most violent crimes commited on an individual basis were done by well educated people. From what i saw this was the conclusion i drew about violent crimes. Well educated people tend to have higher stress levels and as a result snap in more violent ways than undeucated folk. Buuba the plumber gets drunk on the weekend and beats the hell out of sally. John the lawyer snaps cuts up the wife with a butcher knife and buries the body in the back yard. I am speaking on terms of one on one crime. Not neighborhoods/class in general. also not throwing in the druggies and crackheads. they have their own problems. mike |
| People with sub-par intelligence exhibit more animal nature and are more likely than average to slip the bonds of social restraint. (Violent street crime) People with above-par intelligence can get a God complex and, believing that everybody else is beneath them, harm others without remorse. (White collar crime, serial killers) |
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While it is true that most criminals do have low IQs, it is most certainly not true that persons who are "intellectually challenged" are more prone to commit crimes. Asa group, they are no more or less moral than the res of us. And while it's true that most criminals have low IQs, I think its true that the combination of high IQ and low morals just means you aren't as likely to get caught. It also points to the fact that many criminals obtain their criminal records through stupid means, like petty theft, low leveldrug dealing,etc. (I mean how much does the guy make selling OZs of pot?) Smart criminals engage in low risk high reward schemes from Enron thru phone-scamming the elderly and identity theft. How about a corollary question: Does an High IQ (>130) corellate to lack of a criminal record? I think it does... |
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Remember all the controversy surrounding the book "The Bell Curve" about ten years ago. It addressed this very issue. The authors linked low intelligence to a whole list of social ills. Doesn't mean low IQ caused the behaviors it just showed that a disproportionate number of people who participate in these social ills have low IQ's. Also, both biology and environment play a part in IQ but mainstream scientists believe biology has a bigger impact. Very unpopular position with certain groups of people. |
I have a copy. It is very boring but very well researched. |
Ancient chinese proverb say "There is no such thing as poor people, just people with poor ways" |
Maybe only the stupid ones end up in prison |
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Beyond any possible doubt. At the very least, it's the more intelligent criminals that don't get caught as often. Because they have used their intelligence to avoid capture. I belive that any person of above average intelligence could probably kill up to, oh, maybe five people without leaving a single useful clue in any of those killings, if he were careful. After five, the odds will get worse and worse. Those who are caught for criminal actions on a regular basis are ALWAYS of substandard intellectual capacity. CJ |
Following this train of thought no one would ever hang out with you. SGatr15 |
Ooh, good one, Sgtar. For a junior high school level put down...never made it past the 6th grade, eh? |