Ugly kids more likely to become criminals

I almost sent this to BB yesterday and then reconsidered. It makes sense although it doesn't apply straight across the board. Psychopaths are quite often attractive, as are child molesters.

The article doesn't focus on them however.

I'm sure these kids were tormented all the way through school and were last hired, first fired. It would especially apply to the "average" kids whose self-esteem by that time is usually in the cellar. A genius is usually employable.

It doesn't excuse the behavior but it helps explain it.

Studies have been done on the vertically challenged as well with respect to employment. We don't fare as well as tall people. I wonder if anyone has investigated a correlation between height and crime.

Physical characteristics shouldn't matter. Unfortunately, they do.

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Interesting idea, but isn't the study inherently flawed? How to do they control for those people who commit crimes but get away with them?

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I'm not a great believer in "studies" or surveys (or experts)for that matter. They can never consider all factors.

First hand observation is another thing though and it does seem to hold true at least to some extent. Another thing I just thought of. Unattractive and poor often go hand in hand. Good dental care goes a long way toward changing appeance as does plastic surgery, even for the young. No, I haven't done a study, haven't even thought it through but probably most of the crimes listed in the study were committed by the poor who happened to be unattractive as well. Or I'm nuts. Either way.

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Here's a concrete reason for parents to teach their children the skills that enable them to be considered attractive in our society. Sure, it shouldn't matter, but since it does, let's do what we can. We all know of people who are widely considered attractive but, if only their natural physical attributes were considered, unadorned, it would be otherwise.

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I think this is fascinating. Anyone else who does too should read Freakonomics (authored by another pair of economists) which extracts other fascinating correlations.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006073132X/103-1198364-7168662

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I disagree with the article. It is true, some very attractive men turn out to be serial killers.

I think that society emphasizes too much on looks. Very attractive people seem to be chosen first for jobs, promotions, and they often get their way. An average "Jane" like myself seems to work hard, it is harder to find a job, is often passed over by some woman who looks like a model or "Barbie doll". Looks do affect a person throughout their lives. If someone isn't a "pretty" person, they suffer rejection and torment, often picked last for a job, promotion, or spouse.

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You can read the researchers' published study, "Ugly Criminals" at:
http://www.aeaweb.org/annual_mtg_papers/2006/0106_0800_0902.pdf

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Has anyone considered that the most attractive people are often, the more wealthy? They can pay for expensive products to keep them looking great, can go to more expensive stylists, eyebrow shapers, have people who dress them in the latest fashions, can hire personal trainers, dieticians, have surgery, etc? I would have to say that the crimes committed by so called 'ugly' people are committed by mostly the poorest.

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The employability argument would depend on industry. Pre-pregnancy, I was a geophysicist. There's not a lot of hot geophysicists. We're a small group and we're usually pretty ugly (I keed, I keed!). Whereas models tend to be very attractive. The guys that scoop the shit at the water treatment facility? Not that hot.

Okay, so I'm just kidding around. I do agree that generally more attractive people tend to have an edge when all else is equal. If I had a genius with killer personality applying for the same job as an beautiful idiot, I know who I'd choose.

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Once working alongside a father of 3 I ridculed the book Why raise ugly kids?, subtitled; fulfill your child's health and happiness potential. He is a fellow I greatly respect who is no pantywaist about anything.

My friend told me to reconsider my quick judgement.

I stole away to check this book instead of persisting in judging it by its cover. He had a point and so did Mr. Huggins, the author. I guess your post gives a bit more credence to encouraging all us parents to not let our kids lives turn ugly after all.

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Does the study count suicide as crime?

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