VioLit summary: OBJECTIVE: The intent of this study by Kido was to identify the electroencephalogram (EEG) rates among adolescent recidivists and murderers. METHODOLOGY: The author employed a quasi-experimental design among 186 male juvenile, nonepileptic delinquents between May 1969 and March 1972 in the Yokohama Juvenile Classification Home. The subjects were divided into six groups, the first four containing randomly selected individuals, and the last two containing the total number of cases: 1) 14-15 years old, selected irrespective of the number of detentions (40 subjects); 2) 16-17 years old, detained two times or more (42 subjects); 3) 18-19 years old, detained 3 times (44 subjects); 4) 18-19 years old, detained 4 times or more (42 subjects); 5) those charged with murder (11 subjects); and 6) those charged with committing physical injuries that resulted in death; (7 subjects). The EEG rates for these individuals were measured with an 8-channel machine and a monopolar recording technique. In all subjects, activation occurred through one of three methods: 1) pentamethylenetetrazol (PMT) with a continuous intravenous injection of 2% Cardiazol solution (not exceeding 300 mg in older adolescents or 250 mg in younger adolescents) until the appearance of epileptic seizure discharge; 2) diphenehydramine (Diph) with a 1.5% aqueous injection at a rate of 30 mg/min; and 3) sleep recording during natural or secobarbital induced (150-200 mg) sleep. FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: A low PMT threshold was observed in approximately 33% of the adolescents who had been detained four or more times and in approximately 50% of the juvenile murderers. The author suggested that this finding reflected an abnormal predisposition toward violent crime, found in the diencephalon and the edocrinovegetative nervous system. Thirty three percent of the subjects aged 13-14 and 3.4% of those aged 15-19 exhibited 14 and 6/sec positive spikes; there was no significant difference between groups 3 and 4. The difference between age groups suggested an age-linked phenomenon and did not show any consistent relation between the 14 and 6/sec positive spike pattern and juvenile delinquency or recidivism. The author suggested that low PMT thresholds did, however, reflect an organic or functional disorder which caused slow-wave patterns. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado) N1 - Call Number: F-527, AB-527 KW - Countries Other Than USA KW - Japan KW - 1960s KW - 1970s KW - Incarcerated KW - Juvenile Inmate KW - Juvenile Violence KW - Juvenile Offender KW - Juvenile Homicide KW - Juvenile Delinquency KW - Offender Recidivism KW - Homicide Offender KW - Neurological Factors KW - Biological Factors KW - Violence Causes KW - Late Adolescence KW - Early Adolescence KW - Juvenile Male KW - Male Offender KW - Male VIolence KW - Juvenile Homicide KW - Biological Factors KW - Homicide Causes KW - Recidivism Causes
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0015-5721 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -