Ugly people more likely to commit crimes, study shows

A recent study analyzing crime patterns has given a new meaning to the phrase “if looks could kill.”

The new study titled “Ugly Criminals” conducted by economics professors Naci Mocan of the University of Colorado and Erdal Tekin of Georgia State University found that uglier people, repeatedly slighted by a superficial society, have a higher propensity to commit crime.

Mocan and Tekin found supporting evidence to recent studies showing that unattractive men and women are less likely to be hired by potential employees, generally earn less money than more attractive people and ultimately are at a disadvantage, which are key factors that compel a person to break the law.

The researchers tracked the lives of 15,000 high school teenagers through early adulthood in separate surveys from 1994, 1996 and 2002, finding that unattractive individuals committed more crimes – including damaging property, burglary, robbery and drug-related offenses – than attractive individuals.

Mocan cited recent economic studies that emphasized a relationship between how students are treated in high school and their success in the marketplace, ultimately linking those factors to potential to commit crime.

“The study shows that the quality of schooling that these individuals are receiving according to beauty is influencing the extent of their human capital when they enter the labor market after school,” Mocan said.

Research from the study indicates attractive students receive preferential treatment from teachers because attractive students are perceived to be more intelligent, in effect, equating to higher test scores and greater academic opportunities, according to Mocan.

“Another piece of research shows that teacher’s expectations depend a lot on how students are treated or motivated,” Mocan said. “It affects the entire quality of learning for those individuals, and this creates handicaps.”

Mocan suggested that people need to be more sensitive to children’s self-esteem issues, but his research did not explicitly hunt for a direct link between self-esteem and crime.

“Singling students out for their looks or other characteristics is damaging,” Mocan said. “I think it reduces their chance at a successful adult life. I think they are probably more likely to commit crimes as adults.”

Leni Kass, co-founder of HeyUGLY.com, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping teens with self-esteem issues, said teens with poor self-perception are more likely to act out in delinquent behavior.

“Students who are overlooked, who do not get attention, or worse, who are teased, result in a huge impact on self-esteem,” Kass said. “If that is not being addressed, they are angry and hurt and wounded, and it comes out in one of two ways, through self-hate, cutting and drug abuse, or criminal behavior.”

Kass added that attractive students who gain preferential treatment based on their looks gain self-confidence that unattractive people consequently lack.

“[Attractive people] gain a confidence, even if it is a superficial confidence, that will open up more doors to them in their professional life,” Kass said.

The study found that women were most affected by the correlation between attractiveness and crime.

“The impact of beauty in high school on future criminal activity suggests that girls in high school are more influenced by this phenomenon,” Mocan said.

Sofia Axtmayer, a sophomore in the College of General Studies said it is important to take both the lack of adult intervention as well as societal pressure into consideration.

“I could see how unattractive people are more likely to commit crimes because of the treatment they get from other people in society,” Axtmayer said. “You may have a lot of suppressed feelings, resentment towards society and so you take it out on society. I wouldn’t say it is revenge but a release of repressed anger.”