Experiences in prenatal life and early childhood that may cause personality disorders or criminal behavior in later life are examined in these proceedings of the Subcommittee on Childhood Experiences as Causes of Criminal Behavior of the Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Science. This issue, the first in a series of 19 hearings dating from November 1977 to July 1978, presents the testimony of Dr. Dennis H. Stott concerning such causes of delinquency as prenatal stress on infant development and vulnerability of some children to environmental stresses. His thesis is that some children are vulnerable to environmental stresses while others in similar circumstances are not. The factor accounting for these differences is seen to be an adverse intra-uterine environment for the infant produced by acute personal stresses (chiefly marital discords) experienced by the mother during pregnancy. Questions of committee members probe related issues which include the effects of smoking and drinking during pregnancy, genetic implications, positive effects of hope, stress and malformation, malnutrition, mental and emotional defects, minimal brain damage, and family life education. Both English and French texts are provided. (Author/RH)