Richard Dugdale publishes The Jukes

1877. Sociologist Richard Dugdale publishes The Jukes: A Study in Crime, Pauperism, Disease and Heredity. The Jukes, and the Kalikaks from Henry Goddards The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness(1912), were often cited in support of eugenic practice as family studies which demonstrated the heritability of undesirable traits. The Jukes in particular demonstrated heritability of criminality and pauperism (whereas the Kallikaks were an example of the heritability of feeble-mindedness). The book was extremely influential in eugenic practices, particularly in the United States. Although the study has since been discredited, it remains a cited work.

Study of the Jukes family began in the 19th-century, when Elisha Harris, once president of the American Publich Health Association, mentioned a woman named Margaret who came from a poor social class and gave birth to criminals (Vergano, 2012). Richard Dugdale took upon further study of the family, whom he assigned the pseudonym "Jukes" (Vergano, 2012). He claimed the book was the result of years of study that showed that the Jukes had produced numerous criminals, brothel-keepers, prostitutes and relief recipients, including two "feeble-minded" individuals (Dugdale, 1877 ; Vergano, 2012). The initial woman studies, Margaret, or Ada Juke, was traced as having relation to some 700 criminals (Vergano, 2012). His findings focused on environment as a critical factor, particularly poverty, rather than heredity (Dugdale, 1877).

The eugenics movement used the study as a "genetic morality tale" (Lombardo, 2012, as cited in Vergano, 2012), as drew conclusions from the study that suggested heredity and criminality were heritable traits. The book was influential on scientists, doctors, judges, lawyers, politicians, and clergy. For example, the Jukes were "instrumental in testimony" in the Buck v. Bell case of 1927, the outcome of which allowed for forced sterilization legally throughout the United States (Vergano, 2012). The book was followed up by another book named The Jukes in 1915 by Arthur H. Estabrook, which further emphasized the role of heritability on criminality.

In the 1960s, the Jukes family study was discredited, however, the book continues to be influential, and cited even in more recent times (Vergano, 2012), as in Wyoming's Casper Journal's opinion pieces, as recently as 2012.

The book is available online here.

-Colette Leung and Amy Dyrbye

Richard Dugdale publishes The Jukes

1877. Sociologist Richard Dugdale publishes The Jukes: A Study in Crime, Pauperism, Disease and Heredity. The Jukes, and the Kalikaks from Henry Goddards The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness(1912), were often cited in support of eugenic practice as family studies which demonstrated the heritability of undesirable traits. The Jukes in particular demonstrated heritability of criminality and pauperism (whereas the Kallikaks were an example of the heritability of feeble-mindedness). The book was extremely influential in eugenic practices, particularly in the United States. Although the study has since been discredited, it remains a cited work.

Study of the Jukes family began in the 19th-century, when Elisha Harris, once president of the American Publich Health Association, mentioned a woman named Margaret who came from a poor social class and gave birth to criminals (Vergano, 2012). Richard Dugdale took upon further study of the family, whom he assigned the pseudonym "Jukes" (Vergano, 2012). He claimed the book was the result of years of study that showed that the Jukes had produced numerous criminals, brothel-keepers, prostitutes and relief recipients, including two "feeble-minded" individuals (Dugdale, 1877 ; Vergano, 2012). The initial woman studies, Margaret, or Ada Juke, was traced as having relation to some 700 criminals (Vergano, 2012). His findings focused on environment as a critical factor, particularly poverty, rather than heredity (Dugdale, 1877).

The eugenics movement used the study as a "genetic morality tale" (Lombardo, 2012, as cited in Vergano, 2012), as drew conclusions from the study that suggested heredity and criminality were heritable traits. The book was influential on scientists, doctors, judges, lawyers, politicians, and clergy. For example, the Jukes were "instrumental in testimony" in the Buck v. Bell case of 1927, the outcome of which allowed for forced sterilization legally throughout the United States (Vergano, 2012). The book was followed up by another book named The Jukes in 1915 by Arthur H. Estabrook, which further emphasized the role of heritability on criminality.

In the 1960s, the Jukes family study was discredited, however, the book continues to be influential, and cited even in more recent times (Vergano, 2012), as in Wyoming's Casper Journal's opinion pieces, as recently as 2012.

The book is available online here.

-Colette Leung and Amy Dyrbye