3.2 - Evaluate The Effectiveness Of Criminological Theories To Explain Causes Of Criminality

Question 1

BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
GENETIC THEORIES

Strengths of twin studies

Answer 1

• Logical - MZ twins are identical so makes sense to examine if behaviour is also
• Give support to genetic explanations - Ishikawa and Raine (higher concordance rate for identical rather than non-identical)

Question 2

BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
GENETIC THEORIES

Weaknesses of twin studies

Answer 2

• Identical twins should show 100% concordance rate if genes were the only cause of criminality.
• High concordance rate between twins may be due to the environment such as sharing same home or school - may not be their genes.
• Early studies - no way of knowing if twins were certainly genetically identical since DNA testing did not exist.

Question 3

BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
GENETIC THEORIES

Adoption studies - Strengths

Answer 3

• logical - theory allows us to see the relative importance of “nature” vs “nurture”
• give some support to genetic explanations - adoptees more likely to have criminal records if biological parents had criminal records.
• overcome problem faced by twin studies - biologically identical twins are brought up in the same household making it impossible to separate out the influence of genes from environment.

Question 4

BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
GENETIC THEORIES

Adoption studies - weaknesses

Answer 4

• Gottfredson and Hirschi - adoption studies show genes have little effect on criminality.
• Many children are not adopted immediately after birth - remain with their biological family for some time. This early environment may be the true cause of their criminality.
• Adopted children often places in environments similar to those of their birth family, with families of the same class and ethnicity - similar environments may produce similar behaviour

Question 5

BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
GENETIC THEORIES

XYY study - strengths

Answer 5

• Jacob et al - association between XYY syndrome and offenders imprisoned for violent behaviour
• Price and Whatmore found some links between the syndrome and property crime

Question 6

BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
GENETIC THEORIES

XYY study - weaknesses

Answer 6

• Even if some offenders have the syndrome, it does not prove it is the cause of their violence.
• It is very rare so can not explain much crime ( 1 in 1000)
• XYY males fit into the “violent” stereotype as they are tall and well built - labelled by courts so most likely to get a prison sentence. XYY males are overrepresented in samples drawn from prisoners and this overstates the importance of the syndrome as a possible cause of crime.