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Study finds ugly faces more likely to end up in mug shots
SFGATE.com ^ | Saturday, February 18, 2006

Posted on 02/18/2006 11:12:36 AM PST by MRMEAN

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Washington -- Not only are physically unattractive teenagers likely to be stay-at-homes on prom night, they're also more likely to grow up to be criminals, say two economists who tracked the life course of young people from high school through early adulthood.

"We find that unattractive individuals commit more crime in comparison to average-looking ones, and very attractive individuals commit less crime in comparison to those who are average-looking," say Naci Mocan of the University of Colorado and Erdal Tekin of Georgia State University.

Mocan and Tekin analyzed data from a federally sponsored survey of 15,000 high schoolers. One question asked interviewers to rate the physical appearance of the student on a five-point scale ranging from "very attractive" to "very unattractive."

These economists found that the long-term consequences of being young and ugly were small but consistent. Cute guys were uniformly less likely than averages would indicate to have committed seven crimes, including burglary and selling drugs, while the unhandsome were consistently more likely to have broken the law.

Other studies have shown that unattractive men and women are less likely to be hired, and that they earn less money than the better-looking. Such inferior circumstances may steer some to crime, Mocan and Tekin suggest.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: appearance; beauty; ugly
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To: MRMEAN
Image hosting by Photobucket
41 posted on 02/18/2006 11:40:49 AM PST by meanie monster (http://guptonator.myvideochat.net)
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To: stm
Who could forget Bridezilla?


42 posted on 02/18/2006 11:42:06 AM PST by Slings and Arrows ("I'd rather hunt with Cheney than drive with Kennedy." --fanfan)
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To: Navy Patriot
Hey Duck, I thought she was already on America's most unwanted.

No...that was John Walsh


43 posted on 02/18/2006 11:43:11 AM PST by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: phantomworker

That was during my earthtones period.


44 posted on 02/18/2006 11:45:15 AM PST by Dashing Dasher (If Cheney wants someone dead, he'll be dead for sure)
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To: MRMEAN

If the issue were race, not attractiveness, they'd be claiming that the problem was police and jury discrimination against ugliness.

I'd be very interested in the following data:

Do ugly people turn to crime more because they are more likely to feel alienated, that society is unjust, and they have fewer opportunities and positive outlets?

Or is it more the case that ugliness and criminality have certain common causes? (alcoholism running in the family, lack of access to medical care, abusiveness in the family, poverty, low self esteem)

(Of course, to put it in moral terms, bad will is key to sinfulness, but it isn't liberalism to recognize that a poorly formed conscience and temptation are also factors.)


45 posted on 02/18/2006 11:45:32 AM PST by dangus
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To: meanie monster

WOW! The improvement is miraculous! It probably improves her breath, too!


46 posted on 02/18/2006 11:46:52 AM PST by dangus
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To: MRMEAN
Old concept.

>I'll tell you something, Doc. Ever since I was born, everybody looks at me and says, "You're ugly." Makes me feel mean.... I'm saying, Doc, maybe because I look ugly—maybe if a man looks ugly he does ugly things.<

Karloff to Lugosi, 1935, The Raven

47 posted on 02/18/2006 11:47:24 AM PST by LRS
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To: MRMEAN

http://www.mugshots.com/Favorites/Albert+A+Gore.htm


48 posted on 02/18/2006 11:47:56 AM PST by Troublemaker
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To: bannie

Mam, I'm sure You have the cutest little behind, but many times even the best of us is ass-hauled, often in the middle of the night, with a few cocktails under the west, and NOT looking morning-fresh if you get my point ;)

Happened to a friend of mine, but he's a lawyer now...


49 posted on 02/18/2006 11:49:46 AM PST by Kurt_Hectic (Trust only what you see, not what you hear)
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To: Slings and Arrows

What was she arrested for? She looks so confused.....Where am I?....who am I? .......WHAT am I!


50 posted on 02/18/2006 11:54:56 AM PST by derllak
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To: phantomworker

According to this data, I should be serving a life term in prison for something!


51 posted on 02/18/2006 11:58:51 AM PST by derllak
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To: MRMEAN
"We find that unattractive individuals commit more crime in comparison to average-looking ones, and very attractive individuals commit less crime in comparison to those who are average-looking,"

Now I know why I never spent any time in jail.

I'm just toooo Good-lookin'.

52 posted on 02/18/2006 12:00:43 PM PST by woofer (It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them.)
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To: derllak
Parking Lot Scuffle Ends In Arrest (Bridezilla Alert)
53 posted on 02/18/2006 12:02:50 PM PST by the anti-liberal (Hey, Al Qaeda: Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent)
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To: Kurt_Hectic

Sweet of you to be so gracious.

After you've been so dear, it's hard to say this:

Don't drink and drive.
If you're going to drink, have someone hide your keys because drinking makes people stupid.

I still think it was sweet of you to lie about my butt.


54 posted on 02/18/2006 12:04:28 PM PST by bannie (The government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend upon the support of Paul.)
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To: MRMEAN

55 posted on 02/18/2006 12:05:44 PM PST by Revolting cat! ("In the end, nothing explains anything.")
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To: derllak
What was she arrested for?

Everything. Be sure to check out the caption thread (the pic is missing, but it's the one I posted)..

56 posted on 02/18/2006 12:05:48 PM PST by Slings and Arrows ("I'd rather hunt with Cheney than drive with Kennedy." --fanfan)
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To: bannie

I agree with you on the drink/drive-thing, not on the other thing ;)


57 posted on 02/18/2006 12:06:18 PM PST by Kurt_Hectic (Trust only what you see, not what you hear)
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To: the anti-liberal; Slings and Arrows

Oh, she's one sweet broad! I thought guys liked wrench-weilding, gun-toting, butt-kicking chicks. How come you guys aren't knocking her door down for a date? :)


58 posted on 02/18/2006 12:31:48 PM PST by derllak
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To: derllak
According to this data, I should be serving a life term in prison for something!

You must have gotten out for good behavior looks. ;)

59 posted on 02/18/2006 12:32:17 PM PST by phantomworker ("Happiness is a state of mind, not a goal.")
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To: phantomworker

Awwwww, just for that, I'll let you be my parole officer!
I'll try to be goooood! :)


60 posted on 02/18/2006 12:35:28 PM PST by derllak
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