[4][5] Writing in The New York Times, the social scientist John Kaplan wrote in his review of Crime and Human Nature that "there is no doubt that this is an important book and will be the starting place for discussions of the subject for years to come.

"[6] In a more mixed review of the book, Susan Jaco wrote that "The authors' point of view is buried amid so many tedious studies – many of which could just as easily be summed up in aphorisms like "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" – that it is difficult to discern their real opinions on the causes and prevention of crime."

Nevertheless, she concluded that the book "...will be useful to anyone who wishes to have access, in one volume, to most of the important criminological studies of the past 50 years.

[9] The book was particularly controversial because it re-invigorated the nature versus nurture debate in criminology.

[10] The book also influenced Herbert Needleman to research the potential link between lead and crime.