Biological crime control policies.

Question 1

what are some biological crime control policies?

Answer 1

physiological/genetic - eugenics, death penalty, sterilisation
neural - surgical intervention
biochemical - drug treatment, dietary modification, surgical intervention.

Question 2

what are the drug treatments for biochemical control policies?

Answer 2

antabuse: used to treat alcohol abuse
methadone: used to treat long-term heroin addiction
stilbestrol: form of ‘chemical castration’ given to male sex offenders
valinum or diazepam: sedatives administered to violent and disruptive prisoners

Question 3

what are some strengths for biochemical drug treatments?

Answer 3

-Cost effective: more affordable than individual therapies/in person trearment programmes
-non disruptive: form a part of daily routine, simple to administer
-widely available: drug treatments are the NHS’ first line approach to biochemical issues
-does not require a professional to supervise course of treatment
-can address short-term risk factors associate with offending eg. substance abuse

Question 4

what are some limitations for biochemical drug treatments?

Answer 4

-sex offenders may have a psychological element rather than just a biochemical cause - doesn’t tackle the cause of offending
-short term Vs. long term: like a ‘plaster’, it doesn’t necessarily heal deeper wounds
-ethical concerns linked to side effects
-side effects = withdrawal from medication, making it less effective overall
-may just be a part of a more holistic treatment eg. drugs and therapy combines might be better

Question 5

what are dietary changes for biological crime control policies?

Answer 5

-Gesch et al. found a 37% reduction in anti-social behaviour after supplementing prisoners food with vitamins, minerals and fatty acids
- Vitamin B3 can treat a range of psychiatric disorders from depression to schizophrenia
-the neurotransmitter serotonin is heavily influenced by diet, particularly the protein tryptophan

Question 6

is the surgical procedure castration effective?

Answer 6

The physical removal of the testes, which contains around 95% of the males testosterone
there is evidence that sex drive gradually returns in years after the procedure
rates of recidivism: 5.3% for a sexual crime
castrates report up to a 65%bdrop in sex drive compared to non-castrates

Question 7

surgical procedure: transorbitol lobotomy?

Answer 7

severs the connection between the frontal lobes of the brain and the thalamus
it is traditionally used to treat schizophrenics, sex offenders and spontaneously violent criminals.

Question 8

eugenics: Buck Vs. Bell?

Answer 8

in 1927, the US supreme court ruled that it would be legal to sterilise the ‘unfit’ for the ‘health and protection of the state’
the policy also included forced abortions and marriage preventions
Carrie Buck fought to protect her reproductive rights after being deemed an ‘imbecile’

Question 9

eugenics in britain

Answer 9

Supporters of eugenics called for government policies to improve the biological quality of the human race through ‘selective parenthood’.
They linked physical and learning disabilities to a range of social problems including crime, vagrancy, alcoholism, prostitution and unemployment.
compulsory sterilisation.

Question 10

The death penalty

Answer 10

experimental period of 5 years in 1965 to abolish it, but later in 1969 it was pemanently abolished
over 60% of the world’s population live in countries where the death penalty is retained - China, India, US
This is the most extreme biologically driven policy