Evaluation of Brain Injury and Crime

Question 1

+ Phineas Gage

Answer 1

Case study of Phineas Gage was the first to link the frontal lobe to aggression, finding he became more aggressive and that his personality changed - validates the suggestion that damage to the frontal love is connected to aggression/crime

Question 2

+ Williams et al.

Answer 2

Williams et al analysed data from 196 inmates in a UK prison and found that 60% had a history of brain injury in their youth - validates suggestion that BIs and criminality are connected

Question 3

+ Charles Whitman (amygdala)

Answer 3

Charles Whitman killed 16 people at a university campus in 1966, including his family. An autopsy showed that he had a large tumour on his amygdala - validates suggestion that abnormalities in structure/activity in amygdala may lead to aggressive/criminal behaviour

Question 4

+ Raine et al. (amygdala)

Answer 4

Raine et al. found reduced metabolic activity in several areas of the brain in murderers, including the amygdala - suggests that abnormal activity in the amygdala may lead to criminality, validating the suggestion

Question 5

• Kreutzer

Answer 5

Kreutzer found that in a sample of 327 patients, the Traumatic Brain Injury criminal population has a relatively high incidence of alcohol abuse before and after head injury. Most crimes were associated with substance abuse, such as drug possession or driving under the influence of alcohol - it is unclear whether those who abuse substances are likely to experience head injuries and commit crime, but does not say that head injury is the direct cause of crime (criminals may be more likely to abuse substances and therefore engage in risky activities that lead to both crime and BIs, but the BIs don’t necessarily lead to criminality)

Question 6

• Complex relationship

Answer 6

There is a complex relationship between brain injury and crime - cause and effect is difficult to establish - too many personal and environmental factors that are difficult to study experimentally

Question 7

• Psychopaths’ amygdalas

Answer 7

Even though psychopaths have been shown to have smaller amygdalas than non-psychopaths, psychopathic behaviour exists outside of criminals. Traits such as callousness and a lack of empathy are often found in top businessmen and those competing in extreme sports - incomplete explanation as amygdala alone clearly does not cause crime

Question 8

• Complex relationship, e.g. orbital frontal cortex (amygdala)

Answer 8

Complex relationship between amygdala and crime as other brain areas are involved, such as the orbital frontal cortex - OFC regulates self control and is associated with increased aggression, suggesting the amygdala does not operate alone