AC2.1-AC3.2

Question 1

Biological Theories

Answer 1

Idea that physical characteristics can make people more likely to commit crime

Question 2

Genetic theories

Answer 2

1700s
XYY theory, Twin studies, Adoption studies, Family studies

Question 3

XYY theory

Answer 3

Jacob et al. (1965)
Suggests some crime may be due to chromosomal abnormality
Suggested that men with XYY syndrome are more aggressive than ‘XY’ men
Eg. serial killer John Wayne Gacy said to have XYY syndrome. SA, tortured and killed min 33 men in the USA

Question 4

Jacob et al. Date

Answer 4

1965

Question 5

Jacob et al. (1965)

Answer 5

XYY theory

Question 6

Twin studies

Answer 6

Lange (1929)
• idea that a heritable trait may increase risk for criminal behaviour
• German physician found MZ twins higher degree than DZ twins for criminal behaviour

Christiansen (1977)
• Studied 3,000 + twin pairs
• found higher concordance for crime in male plus female MZ twins than DZ

Question 7

MZ

Answer 7

Monozygotic
Identical Twins
100% DNA shared

Question 8

DZ

Answer 8

Dizygotic
Twins from separate eggs
Share 50% of DNA

Question 9

Lange (1929) and Christiansen (1977) both found

Answer 9

MZ twins showed a much higher degree of concordance than DZ twins for criminal behaviour

Question 10

Twin studies study names

Answer 10

Lange (1929)
Christiansen (1977)

Question 11

Lange (date)

Answer 11

1929
10/13 MZ twins convicted
2/17 DZ twins served time in prison

Question 12

Christiansen (date.)

Answer 12

1977
3,000 + pairs of twins studied
(M) 35% (MZ) and 13% (DZ)
(F) 21% (MZ) and 8% (DZ)
Concordance rates
From Danish Islands

Question 13

Adoption studies

Answer 13

Crowe (1972)
Found if adoptees bio mother had conviction they had a 50% chance of having a conviction
Found if adoptees bio mother didn’t have conviction only 5% of having conviction

Mednick et al. (1994)
Found no relationship criminal convictions of adoptive parents and their adopted children
Did find correlation convictions of bio parents and their bio kids

Question 14

Crowe (date.)

Answer 14

1972.
If bio mother had conviction child had 50% chance
If bio mother didn’t child had 5% chance

(Adoption studies)

Question 15

Mednick et al. (date.)

Answer 15

1994
Studied 14.000 adopted children
Found no correlation adoptive parents and kids
Found correlation bio parents and bio kids

Adoption Studies

Question 16

Family studies

Answer 16

Look at similarity of behaviours of the same family

Francis Galton (famous Victorian scientist)
Concluded intelligence/genius is hereditary

Osbourne and West (1982)
Compared sons of criminal/non-criminal fathers
Found 13% sons with non-criminal dads had conviction
Found 40% sons with criminal dads had conviction

Question 17

Francis Galton

Answer 17

Famous Victorian scientist
Concluded intelligence/genius was hereditary
Studied the similarity of behaviour between members of family

Family Studies

Question 18

Osbourne and West (1982)

Answer 18

Compared sons criminal + non-criminal dads
Found 13% (less than 20%) sons with non-criminal dads had conviction
Found 40% (almost 50%)sons with criminal dads had conviction

Family Studies

Question 19

Physiological theories

Answer 19

Focus on person’s physical form
Studied this correlation and possible cause with criminality

Cesare Lombroso - ‘Father of Modern Criminology’
Willam Sheldon
Neurochemical

Question 20

Cesare Lombroso - ‘Father of Modern Criminology’

Answer 20

Italian psychiatrists
Argued that a ‘born criminal’ could be determined by physical shape of head and face.
Claimed criminality heritable (atavistic, primitive features).

Examined 300+ dead and 3.000+ living criminals.
Concluded 40% criminal acts had atavistic characteristics.

Eg. murderers (bloodshot eyes + curly hair), sex offenders (thick lips + protruding ears)

• Chinese Uni researched this created AI programme found that it wrongfully flagged innocent men as criminal 6% of time but correctly identified over 80% of criminals

Physiological theories

Question 21

William Sheldon

Answer 21

• meticulous examination of 4,000 men
• found 3 body types (somatotypes)
  • Endomorphic (fat + soft)
  • Ectomorphic (thin + fragile)
  • Mesomorphic (muscular + hard)

Concluded many criminals (violent acts) were mesomorphic, meaning those with a more muscular/hard body type are more likely to be criminals

Physiological theories

Question 22

Brain abnormality

Answer 22

Raine et al. (1997)
PET scans on 41 violent American prisoners and 41 ‘normal people’

Damage found pre-frontal cortex (where impulsive behaviour controlled)
Violent offenders had less activity in frontal+parietal lobes

Phineas Gage (1823-1860)
Railroad worker
Head impaled
Prior accident Gage cooperative and kind
Post accident more aggressive, unreliable, lacking restraint

Found prefrontal cortext (responsible for planning and delaying gratification damaged)
If this area damaged leads to lower levels of self control

Question 23

Raine et al. (date.)

Answer 23

1997
Brain abnormalities
Physiological theories

Question 24

Phineas Gage (date)

Answer 24

1823-1860
Railroad incident

Question 25

Neurochemical

Answer 25

Brain chemistry influenced by diet.

Serotonin:
Low levels of serotonin associaed with higher aggression.
Serotonin regulates person’s mood.
Raine et al. (1993) reviewed 29 studies of antisocial people and found low lvls of serotonin in all
Dark chco, cheese, nuts and salmon ^ serotonin.

Steroids:
Often to increase muscle growth.
Also increases T levels.
American body builder beat mean to death after taking 2000x rec dosage of steroids
(‘roid rage’)

Question 26

Evaluate the effectiveness of Lombroso’s criminological theory to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 26

Strengths:
•

Weaknesses:
• lacks control group (comparisons can’t be made)
• lack of accuracy due to possible disfigurements
• Bath Spa Uni suggests less attractive ppl more likely to be considered guilty
• Not all criminals have atavistic features
• Not all ppl with atavistic features are criminal
• Scientific racism - Lombroso’s work curated beginnings of offender profiling

Question 27

Evaluate the effectiveness of Sheldon’s criminological theory to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 27

Strengths:
• good sized sample used
• had control condition of non-offenders to compare results to

Weaknesses:
• Can’t explain how non-mesomorphs can be criminals
• ppls somatotype not fixed
• judicial system may treat those with mesomorph shape more harshly, ^ likelihood of them being labelled a criminal

Question 28

Evaluate the effectiveness of Jacob’s XYY criminological theory to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 28

Strengths:
• large number of criminals imprisoned for violence carried XYY chromosome
• Jacob et al. study found significant amount of men in prison had XYY syndrome

Weaknesses:
• Adler et al. (2007) found violent behaviour partly determined but genetics
• ignores behaviourist approach
• Theilhaard (1984) found aggression not associated with XYY men

Question 29

Evaluate the effectiveness of Lange and Christiansen’s twin criminological theory to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 29

Strengths:
• Christiansen (1977) supports view criminality has genetic component
• results of twin studies helped prevention of vulnerable disorders

Weaknesses:
• Lange (1929) (early twin study) lacked validity and inadequately controlled
• whether twins DZ or MZ based on appearance not DNA
• small sample not representative of general population
• criminality could be linked to nurture as to genetics

Question 30

Evaluate the effectiveness of the adoption studies criminological theory to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 30

Strengths:
• studies concluded correlation between adopted children and bio parents

Weaknesses:
• info about bio family not always available
• adoption process not always random (children purposefully placed with parents similar to bio families)