size and crime volume could not be said to be adequately tested. To correct for this failing, Steffensmeier, Streifel and Shihadeh (1992) conducted a test of Easterlin's theory while controlling and correcting for previous methodological problems. However, the authors did not find support for Easterlin's views. However, they did note that there is an ongoing need for future research not only on birth cohort size and crime but also on birth cohort size and other forms of deviance such as mental illness or alcohol abuse.
The point made by Steffensmeier, Streifel and Shihadeh (1992) is well made when one considers that other forms of social deviancy such as mental illness tend to often be associated with criminal behavior. Perhaps this can best be seen in a study conducted by Hodgins (1992) who investigated an unselected birth cohort (7,362 men and 7,039 women) from pregnancy to age 30 years. Among both men and women, the proportions of people with at least one criminal offense varied significantly by adult mental status.
Specifically, Hodgins (1992) found that men with a major mental disorder were 2.5 times more likely than men with no disorder to have been arrested and convicted of a criminal offense. Among women, the risk for those with a major mental disorder was five times higher than that for women with no disorder.
It was also found that the criminal behavior of people who eventually developed major disorders often appeared in early adolescence, before the mental disorder was diagnosed. Intellectually handicapped people (a form of social deviance) were also found to be more likely to commit crimes; specifically, the were 3 4 times more likely to be arrested and convicted of a criminal offense than those with no such handicap.
Alcohol abuse/alcoholism is specifically selected for study because it is a particularly challenging problem for the public health system in America and has often been associated with cr...