3.1.2 Forensics - Biological explanations Flashcards
What is the atavistic form?
- Attributes criminal activity to a lack of evolutionary development / are seen as genetic throwbacks who are biologically different from non-criminals
How did Lombroso view offenders?
- Seen as having a savage and untamed nature - find it impossible to adjust to the demands of modern society so turn to crime
- Offending behaviour is rooted in genes of those engaged in it
Atavistic form: how offenders are distinguishable
- Distinguishable by facial and cranial characteristics
State facial and cranial features that were viewed as criminal
- Prominent jaw
- High cheekbones
- Facial asymmetry
- Use of slang
- Tattoos
- Unemployment
What facial and cranial characteristics would murders have?
Curly hair and long ears
How is Lombroso’s atavistic form useful?
- Theory is viewed as naïve by today’s standards but is credited for making criminology more rigorous and scientific
- Ideas laid the foundations for modern offender profiling
Atavistic form AO3
- No evidence for facial/cranial characteristics = criminals // evidence for lower than average intelligence
- Distinct racial undertones
- Facial appearance is not the cause of their offending (environmental factors to be considered)
What do genetic explanations for crime suggest?
- Offenders inherit a gene or a combination of genes that predispose them to commit crime
- Genes consist of DNA strands which produce instructions for general physical features of an organism e.g. eyes colour or specific physical features e.g. neurotransmitter levels
- They impact on psychological features and genes are inherited
Genetic explanations: Twin studies - Raine’s research
- Research on the delinquent behaviour of twins and found a 52% concordance rate for monozygotic twins compared to 21% of dizygotic twins
- Supports the view that offending behaviour has a genetic component
Genetic explanations: what do adoption studies allow?
- Allow the behaviour of an individual to be compared with their birth and adopted parents
- Behaviour similar to adopted parents = environmental factors
- Behaviour similar to birth parents = genetics
Genetic explanations: Adoption studies - Crowe’s research
- Found that adopted children whose biological mother had a criminal record had a 50% risk of having a criminal record by 18 compared to those with mothers without a criminal record only had a 5% risk
- Supports a genetic influence in offending behaviour
What are candidate genes?
A gene related to a particular trait
Genetic explanations: Candidate genes - Brunner
- Researched 28 male members of a Dutch family which histories of impulsive and violent behaviour e.g. rape and attempted murder
- DNA was analysed and found that a particular gene was shared leading to low levels of MAOA (controls amount of serotonin and dopamine in the brain and linked to aggressive behaviour)
Genetic explanations - Diathesis stress model
- Genetics = partly moderated by the effects of the environment
- Tendency towards criminal behaviour may be due to a combination of a genetic predisposition and a biological/psychological trigger
Genetic explanations AO3
- Biologically deterministic
- Supporting evidence (Lange) // small sample size
- Support for the diathesis stress (13000 Danish adoptees)
What do neural explanations of offending behaviour suggest?
Sees abnormally functioning brain physiology and biochemistry as forming the basis to an individual’s criminal behaviour
- Suggests there’s neural differences between the brains of offenders and non offenders
How do the neural explanations of offending behaviour link to APD?
- Differences in the brains of offenders and non offenders is based on individuals diagnosed with APD
- APD is associated with reduced emotional responses, a lac of empathy which characterises many convicted offenders
Neural explanations: Neurochemistry - noradrenaline
- Helps individuals respond to threatening situations
- High levels = violence and aggression, can help to explain some offending as being underpinned by a chemical imbalance
Neural explanation: Neurochemistry - serotonin
- Regulates mood and impulse control
- Low levels = people are more impulsive which can explain some offending behaviour as people can easily react if they have the impaired capacity to hold back
Neural explanation: Neurochemistry - dopamine
- Linked to offending behaviour due to its link with addiction and substance abuse, making crime more likely
- Dopaminergic activity in the limbic system = pleasure is experienced, the greater the activity, the greater the feelings of pleasure, making addiction more likely
What is the function of the prefrontal cortex?
Part of the brain that regulates emotional behaviour
Neural explanation: prefrontal cortex - Raine
- There’s brain imaging studies showing individuals with antisocial personalities having reduced activity in the PFC
- Reduced activity = cannot regulate emotions and behaviour = explains offending behaviour, don’t have the brake that stops them from committing crimes against others
Neural explanation AO3
- Biologically deterministic
- Research into neurophysiology is often correlational (environmental factors to be considered)
- Research support between crime and the frontal lobe
