Biological explanation: inherited criminality Flashcards
Hollin
Suggests that people inherit and biological predisposition for criminal behaviour, specifically a personality type that makes them more likely to commit crime. It may also be the case that some individuals may inherit a gene that makes them more aggressive, and as such it makes them more likely to demonstrate behaviours that are criminal. Most research on inherited predisposition to crime are twin studies.
The Cambridge Study of delinquent development
The camvride study of delinquent development is a study that started in 1962 and it aimed to be a prospective longitudinal study of boys, and it started off with a sample size of 411 males born in 1953. The sample was dram from the working class London areas. They have reported on the results of this group and have assessed numerous factor which may explain the delinquency and criminal behaviour levels seen in the sample,
Osborn and west
On of the most notable findings from the CSDD were reported by Osborn and west who reported on a survey of 383 of the original 411 males, The boys were ages 24 and 25 at the time, the fathers were in their 40s. Osborne and west reported on the number of sons who had convictions and found that 40% with criminal fathers also had a criminal conviction, compared to only 13% with non criminal fathers.
Farrington
Reported on criminal behaviour in the family and found that if the father had been arrested then there was a high chance the son would have been arrested as well. When considering other relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, they found that if one person had been arrested, there was a high probability that another family member would have also been arrested.
MAOA
The gene MAOA helps to recycle neurotransmitter serotonin. See et ak proposed the low levels of serotonin may predispose individuals to impulsive and aggressive behaviour. Brunner et al studied a dutch family many of whom were highly aggressive. Their behaviours was liked to the mutation un the MAOA gene, accounting for the aggressive behaviour.
Weakness of inherited criminality
It relies on twin studies to report it. It can be seen in Kranz et al who reported the concordance rate of criminality between MZ and DZ twins. This meaning that there could be confounding variables of which the researcher is unaware of. Perhaps the MZ twins have higher concordance rates because they are treated more similarly than DZ twins. Therefore this methodoligal weakness dents the credibility of inherited criminality but realistically it would be difficult to use experiments in the conext and just because the methods are problematic do not mean they are wrong.
Weakness
There is no consistency in research to fully prove that and individual can inherit criminality. Dalgard and Kringle found no statistically significant difference in the concordance rates between MZ and DZ twins. If the approach of inherited criminality was correct, we would expect the concordance rate of MZ twins to be higher than DZ twins as they share more genes. However in Delgard and Kringle this is not the case.
Application
In the uSA in 1907 many states used enforced sterilisation on many undesirable groups. Although practice was denies between 2006 and 2010, many women inmates received tubal ligations without their consent in california. This is a negative application to gene predisposition to crime and the explanation is being applied inadequately and unethically to inmates and by the government. therefore, people should counter other factors which link to criminal behaviour, such as social and psychological reasons.
Biases
It offers a straight forward cause and effect relationship between a gene and the abhorrent criminal behaviour. However says behaviour is deterministic, and people may not have control over their CB
