Crime-Topic 1-What makes a criminal?

Question 1

What does the biological explanation state for criminal behaviour?

Answer 1

It has been suggested that there may be individuals in society who are predisposed to be more likely to become criminals due to their genetic make-up.

Question 2

What did the Osborne and West study find?

Answer 2

Criminal behaviour has a tendency to run in families. OW compared the sons of criminal and non-criminal fathers. They found that 13% of the sons of non-criminal fathers had criminal convictions, compared to 40% of the sons of the criminal fathers

Question 3

What is Monoamine oxadise A (MAOA)?

Answer 3

An enzyme tat breaks down important neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine and serotonin; MAOA is regulated by the MAOA gene and humans have various forms of the gene, resulting in different levels of activity of the enzyme. One variant of the gene is associated with high levels of MAOA and another with low levels. Several studies have now found a correlation between the low activity form of the MAOA gene and aggression.

Question 4

What year was Osborne and West’s study?

Answer 4

1982

Question 5

What did Capsi et al look at?

Answer 5

Studied 1037 children (442 boys) born in 1972 in NZ. The children were studied from birth to adulthood (26 years) The study found that men with the variant is associated with low levels (MAOA-L) were sig more likely to grow up to exhibit antisocial behaviour, but only if they had been maltreated as children. On its own MAOA gene variant had no effect

Question 6

What year was capsi’s study?

Answer 6

2002

Question 7

What was the physiological explanation of criminal behaviour (testosterone)

Answer 7

Statistically men commit significantly more crimes than females and most violent offenders are indeed males. Since males produce more testosterone than females it makes sense that this hormone could explain criminal behaviour.

Question 8

What is testosterone linked to?

Answer 8

aggression, dominance and libido

Question 9

What was Dabbs (1995) study?

Answer 9

Examined the relationship between testosterone, crime and prison behaviour among 692 male prison inmates. Testosterone was measured from saliva samples, and behaviour was coded from prison system records.

Question 10

What were the results of Dabbs’ study?

Answer 10

Inmates who had committed personal crimes of sex and violence had higher testosterone levels than inmates who had committed property crimes of burglary, theft and drugs. Inmates with higher testosterone levels also violated more rules in prison, especially rules involving overt confrontation. The findings indicate differences between low and high testosterone individuals in the amount and pattern of their misbehaviour.

Question 11

How does the amygdala have a part in aggressive behaviour?

Answer 11

The amygdala is responsible for feelings of fear. People with an exaggerated amygdala reactivity show impulse aggression, whereas people who are aggressive but more cold and calculating, have reduced amygdala volume and functioning.

Question 12

How does the hippocampus have a part in aggressive behaviour?

Answer 12

If the hippocampus is damaged its associated with impulse activity and people who commit unplanned impulsive murders who a higher metabolic rate in the hippocampus compared to controls.

Question 13

How is the Thalamus associated with aggressive behaviour?

Answer 13

Is associated with changes in emotional reactivity.
Damage to the thalamus is thought to be linked to combativeness.

Question 14

How is the prefrontal cortex associated with aggressive behaviour?

Answer 14

Is associated with impulsivity and poor behavioural control.
Individuals with damage to this region have less self control and are more aggressive and have impaired emotional processing.

Question 15

What does Raine say about the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 15

It’s the part of the brain involved in regulating and controlling behaviour…. it’s a bit like the emergency brake ion behaviour. That emergency brake is gone in the violent offender.

Question 16

What does the Social learning theory think causes criminal behaviour?

Answer 16

SLT claims that behaviour is the result of the social environment in which a child grows up (nurture). The suggestion is that children acquire antisocial behaviour through process of reinforcement and imitation of criminal “models”. behaviour that is rewarded or reinforced is likely to be repeated and learned. behaviour is positively reinforced if it brings about a desired outcome. For example, gaining good material by stealing.

Question 17

What does Farrington and west (1996) study look at?

Answer 17

Began the Cambridge study in delinquent development. The aim was to see if it would be possible to predict offending behaviour. This was a longitudinal study based on interviews and tests conducted at various ages from the age of 8 until 31. The ps were 411 London boys mostly born in 1953.

Question 18

what were the results of Farrington and West’s study?

Answer 18

By the age of 32, 37% had committed a criminal offence.
Offending was very much concentrated in families. 4% of the 400 families accounted for 50% of all convictions of all families. the worst offenders seem to come from large-sized multi-problem families. The most common crimes were in the late teens was burgulary, shoplifting and vandalism

Question 19

What measures were included in Farrington and west’s study?

Answer 19

Tests and interviews at school age 8,10 and 14 years and interviews in the research office at 16,18 and 21. The school tests measured IQ, attainment and personality. The interviews collected information about employment history, relationships and offending behaviour.
Interviews were also conducted primarily with the boy’s mothers.
Questionnaires were also completed by the boy’s teachers and concerned troublesome and aggressive behaviour, attainment and truancy. peers also provided info.
Criminal records were obtained in references to convictions of the boys, parents, siblings etc.

Question 20

What is the Non-psychological explanation Differential association

Answer 20

A theory developed by Sutherland proposing that through interaction with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behaviour

Question 21

What did Akers (1979) find in relation to the non-psychological explanation-differential association

Answer 21

Found that 68% of the variance in marijuana use of 2500 American adolescents could be explained in terms of differential association and reinforcements from peers.

Question 22

What is meant by the Non-physiological explanation 3-cognitive theories- Becker’s rational choice theory (1968)?

Answer 22

States that criminal behaviour is no different from noncriminal behaviour in that a person intentionally chooses to partake in CB. the reason that they choose to commit crime is that they think it will be more rewarding and less costly for them than noncriminal behaviour.

Question 23

What was the aim of the key research by Raine?

Answer 23

to study brain activity in murders and non-murders using positron emission tomography (PET) to find out whether there were differences in areas thought to be involved in violent behaviour.

Question 24

What research method was used in the key research by Raine?

Answer 24

quasi experiment in a lab setting

Question 25

outline the sample of the key research by Raine

Answer 25

The experimental group (murdered)=39 men, 2 women (mean age 34.3). Each had been charged with murder or manslaughter and had pleaded ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’ but had been convicted. the control group (non-murders) were matched for sex and age and for 6 ps matched on schizophrenia.
No ps took any medication for at least 2 weeks prior to testing.

Question 26

What two techniques were used to identify brain regions after the PET scan in Raine’s study?

Answer 26

cortical peel technique and the box technique.

Question 27

From the Key research by Raine, what can we conclude about the role of the brain in criminal activity?

Answer 27

The study provides evidence for ‘multi site deficits’ in murders pleading NGRI. These areas are characterized by reduced glucose metabolism. These areas of abnormal activity are associated with aggressive behaviour(amygdala, hypothalamus and thalamus); a lack of fear (amygdala), impulsiveness (pre-frontal cortex) and expressing emotions 9e.g.amygdala)

Question 28

What can we conclude in relation to usefulness of the key research by Raine?

Answer 28

-Allows for biosocial intervention
-promotion of good nutrition, no smoking and pre and post birth care etc.
Early intervention in life to prevent future violent crimes.
-Identify children at risk of antisocial and criminal behaviour and put interventions in place.

Question 29

Why does deficiencies in omega-3 link to CB?

Answer 29

Due to limited regulation of the limbic system by the frontal lobes- the result is self-control problems and aggressive behaviour.

Question 30

What was Raine’s sample in relation to strategy 1-omega 3?

Answer 30

Used 100 children in Mauritius and had them take a fish oil supplement with their daily juice drink for 6 months (compared to a control group who just drank the juice.

Question 31

What were the results of Raine study (2003) in relation to omega 3?

Answer 31

After 6 months parents reported a reduction in delinquency, aggression and attention problems. Raine concluded that omega 3 maty partly reverse brain dysfunction that predisposed children to antisocial behaviour and aggression that might lead to adult violence and crime.

Question 32

How did Raine explain why omega 3 had such positive effects?

Answer 32

Omega 3 had many biological effects such as enhancing brain structure and function e.g. by enhancing the functioning of synapses, protecting neurons and regulating neurotransmitter functioning.

Question 33

what was the sample for strategy 2- Nutrition and exercise?

Answer 33

In Raine’s Mauritius study he identified a group of children with a low resting heart rate. they were matched with a control group.

Question 34

What is a low resting heart rate linked with?

Answer 34

An increased likelihood to commit crime in later life- Raine had previously linked low resting heart rate in children to fearlessness and stimulation seeking behaviour that’s a marker for later aggression

Question 35

In strategy 2 what was the three-part intervention given to the sample?

Answer 35

Nutrition- A balanced nutritious diet was provided.
Physical exercise- sessions of structured games, gym and free play.
Cognitive stimulation- A curriculum of toys, art, crafts, drama and music was adopted.

Question 36

What were the results of strategy 2- nutrition and exercise in relation to Raine?

Answer 36

Showed that the children with the intervention could better focus their attention at 11 and showed significantly less bad behaviour (less cruel, not hot tempered and less likely to bully).
This suggests that nutrition, cognitive stimulation and exercise can be an important factor to consider when preventing crime.