Intelligence

There is consistent evidence for an inverse association between intelligence and antisocial behavior. This link is evident for delinquency (official and self-reported) and clinical diagnoses of conduct disorder, but not for recidivism or illegal drug use. The IQ–crime/delinquency relationship is the strongest with regard to verbal ability, with delinquents possessing similar nonverbal ability to their nondelinquent peers. The association does not appear to be due to socioeconomic status, ethnicity, test-taking motivation or the differential detection of less intelligent offenders. However, clearly, intelligent people are capable of antisocial behavior and most individuals with low IQs are not criminals. The pathways to criminality are many and varied, with low intelligence being one of many possible contributing factors. Research has now shifted from establishing an association between intelligence and antisocial behavior to examining theoretical explanations of how and why these two constructs are linked.