This topic is going to be, if it isn't already, a topic that will never have a suitable resolution for everyone. I don't have children and can see both sides of this argument. One part of me wants to support this research and require testing. If we can forestall even one murder, arson, rape, than the test has proved it's worth. However the flip side is obvious. If we test everyone, who has access to these records? Do we immediately move children with those traits into treatment centers? Detention centers? The clear answer is we cannot limit anyone's freedom without any wrong doing on their part. Does knowing this information bias parents towards mistrust or different treatment of their children? By informing the parents of these traits are we merely hastening the process if the parents treat the child differently?
I can say if I was a parent I would personally want to know about my own child. If there was anything I could learn that could possibly help me raise my child then I would want that information. I would still have the fear that the knowledge would somehow taint my approach to raising the child, but, nonetheless, I would want the information and hope that I could raise the child to be one of the 25%.
Another question though. Who has access to these records? Assuming it's only the parents and the people who administer the test, can we be assured the information will always reside only with those few people? How adversely would the child's upbringing be affected if that information were to be leaked or shared with the wrong folks?
It is a slippery slope when we begin to predict behaviors and take preemptive actions...
I thought you brought up some pretty valid points - especially about accessibility to the records of children testing "positive" for possible future tendencies. I figure if you must raise this child to be different than other children (particularly in the case of multiple children in the household), would this child grow up knowing he is fundamentally different? How would THAT feed into the process of integrating the child into the rest of society once the problem has been properly managed? Would it need to be made public that he had been submitted to a clinical attitude adjustment?
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