James Q. Wilson, in The Atlantic (Oct. 1983), Box 2547, Boul- der, Colo. 80322.
Psychologists perplexed violent or overly aggressive children have come up with a host of theories to explain their behavior-faulty genes, broken homes, and the Oedipal complex. But more and more evidence points to a simpler view, writes Wilson, a Harvard political scientist: "Incompetent" parents raise bad kids.
The notion that families might be responsible for growing delin- quency was unpopular among social...