Forensic - Area 1

Question 1

What did Lombroso study ?

Answer 1

First to study crime scientifically. Stated that criminals were physically different. He studied skulls of prisoners and found criminals have a prominent jaw and asymmetrical face.

Question 2

What is atavistic form ?

Answer 2

Criminals are a sub-species of genetic throwbacks and cannot conform to society.

Question 3

What did Sheldon state about criminals ?

Answer 3

Mesomorphs (muscly) are more likely to become criminals. Studies photos of 4000 men and compared them to college students and delinquents rating them from 1 to 7 for their resemblance to mesomorph.

Question 4

What did Brunner state about criminals ?

Answer 4

Stated their was a warrior gene responsible for violent and aggressive criminal behaviour (MAOA gene). Males affected produced no MAOA. Case study of 5 affected males and found that lack of MAOA meant higher levels of serotonin so led to more aggressive behaviour.

Question 5

What did Choy state about criminals ?

Answer 5

Looked at a sample of 894 ppts and measured heart rate at 11 y/o alongside self reported and official conviction records at 23 y/o. Found resting heart rate accounted for 5-17% of gender differences. Low resting heart rate could be an early biological factor for predicting criminal behaviour.

Question 6

What did Farrington state about criminals ?

Answer 6

Stated criminal behaviour is down to family life such as parental criminality or absence. Looked at sample of 411 males from working class area of London at age of 8. Then interviewed periodically from 8-48 y/o about circumstances.

Question 7

What did Farrington state most important factor of criminal behaviour was ?

Answer 7

Loss of mother.

Question 8

What did Sutherland state about criminal behaviour ?

Answer 8

Based on differential association theory, where attitudes and motives are learnt through family. We acquire norms and vales of the criminal group and this predicts whether a person will choose the criminal path. It is the frequency and intensity of a reaction based on length of exposure and age they were exposed.

Question 9

What did Kohlberg state about criminal behaviour ?

Answer 9

Delinquent group showed less moral reasoning as they were stuck in stage 2 (about the individual) and were unable to develop to stage 3 (about others), where thought about others is given.

Question 10

What is the background to Raine ?

Answer 10

Violent offenders have poorer brain functioning than normal controls. PET scans have established researchers to localise dysfunctional areas of the brain.

Question 11

How is the amygdala linked to criminal behaviour ?

Answer 11

An overactive amygdala leads to impulsive aggressive behaviour but a reduced amygdala shows cold and calculated aggressive behaviour.

Question 12

How is the hippocampus linked to criminal behaviour ?

Answer 12

Associated with impulsivity as the unplanned crime shows a higher metabolic rate.

Question 13

How is the thalamus linked to criminal behaviour ?

Answer 13

Changes to emotional reactivity as damage to the thalamus is linked to combativeness.

Question 14

How is the corpus collosum linked to criminal behaviour ?

Answer 14

Connections between 2 hemispheres, which explains why crimes cant explain their way out of situations.

Question 15

How is the prefrontal cortex linked to criminal behaviour ?

Answer 15

Damage means less self-control, so results in more impulsive behaviour.

Question 16

How is the angular gyrus linked to criminal behaviour ?

Answer 16

Reduced function results in difficulties in making sense of events leading to a lack of understanding of consequence.

Question 17

What is the aim of Raine ?

Answer 17

To research brain dysfunctions in violent offenders, specifically those who commit murder and plead not guilty by reasons of insanity.

Question 18

What was Raine’s hypothesis ?

Answer 18

No dysfunction in caudate, putamen, midbrain and cerebellum.

Question 19

What was the experimental design in Raine ?

Answer 19

Matched pairs design

Question 20

What type of experiment was Raine ?

Answer 20

Quasi experiment.

Question 21

What was the IV’s in Raine ?

Answer 21

Murderer or not

Question 22

What was the DV in Raine ?

Answer 22

activity in brain regions on PET scan.

Question 23

What was the sample of Raine ?

Answer 23

41 murderers all charged with murder or manslaughter and had NGRI. All had some form of mental impairment as a reason for their referral.

Question 24

What was the control group of Raine ?

Answer 24

A control group with no mental health was matched by age and sex. 6 murderers with schizophrenia were matched with 6 people with schizophrenia.

Question 25

What were all of the sample asked to do in Raine ?

Answer 25

To be medication free for 2 weeks.

Question 26

What was the procedure of Raine ?

Answer 26

Gave consent and performed a continuous performance task to work areas of the brain to monitor levels of function. Allowed to practice for 10 minutes before tracer when 10 pictures at 10mm intervals were taken.

Question 27

What were the materials used in Raine ?

Answer 27

-Thermoplastic head holder
-CPT targets on screen and pushing a button when they were detected.
-PET scan used to take images of the brain.

Question 28

What were the brain results from Raine that showed reduced activity ?

Answer 28

Reduced activity in prefrontal cortex, left angular gyrus and corpus collosum.
Reduced activity in amygdala, thalamus and hippocampus in right hemisphere.

Question 29

What were the brain results in Raine that showed no difference in activity ?

Answer 29

No differences in caudate, putamen, and midbrain associated with mental illness.
No difference on any aspect of behavioural performance on CPT.

Question 30

What was the biological intervention programme as a biological strategy ?

Answer 30

100 children, who had the intervention, were split into 2 groups; those who were well nourished at the beginning and those who were poorly nourished.
Poorly nourished showed 53% reduction in disorder at age 17 compared to 9% in control group. Nutrition helps prevent crime.

Question 31

What was the health promotion as a biological strategy ?

Answer 31

Followed up at 11 and 17. At 11 children focussed their attention better, had more mature brains and arousal levels in the brain. At 17, scored lower on a conduct disorder ratings, were less cruel to others, ;less likely to act antisocially.

Question 32

How did Raine support health promotion ?

Answer 32

Look at 100 Mauritius children with low resting heart rates, who were selected and compared with a control group and received a 3 part intervention.

Question 33

How does omega 3 deficiencies link to being a criminal ?

Answer 33

Deficiencies in Omega 3 may result in a limited regulation of Limbic system leading to problems in self control and aggression.

Question 34

How does Gesch support omega 3 supplements as a biological strategy ?

Answer 34

Suggested antisocial behaviour in prisons included violence and that it could be reduced by supplementing young offenders diet with Omega 3 and Omega 6. Showed 26% improvement in disciplinary record.

Question 35

How does Raine support Omega 3 supplements as a biological strategy.

Answer 35

On Mauritius children, who had to drink an omega 3 rich drink called “Norwegian Smartfish”. Findings were a reduction in aggression and delinquency after 12 months.

Question 36

What are biosocial interventions ?

Answer 36

They outline risk factors for children at risk of antisocial behaviour and put interventions in place including biological elements.

Question 37

How does Olds support biosocial interventions ?

Answer 37

400 women with low social class. Intervention at 9 home visits from nurses during pregnancy and 23 visits from nurses in first 2 years. Gave advice on reducing smoking and alcohol use to improve nutrition.

Question 38

Findings of Olds biosocial interventions ?

Answer 38

15 year follow up showed a 52% reduction in arrests and 63% reduction in convictions in those whose mothers had received the intervention.

Question 39

How does plastic surgery reduce criminality ?

Answer 39

Had been a strategy for prisoners since the 1950”s. If someone had a physical deformity, this could lead to a risk of them taking a criminal pathway. If we can improve their appearance, we can reduce the recidivism.

Question 40

How does Lewinson support reduction in recidivism ?

Answer 40

Found an increased cooperation with authority and participation in prison activities. They were more likely to want to learn a trade. Recidivism rates for 450 inmates was 42% less than general inmate population.

Question 41

How does Lewinson support plastic surgery for reducing crime ?

Answer 41

Conducted 450 facial reconstruction in a prison population and observed consequent behaviours both in prison and after release. He focussed upon age, type of offence, reasons for seeking surgery.

Question 42

How do antipsychotics reduce crime ?

Answer 42

Mental illness is associated with malfunction in nervous system, this means they may be helpful in preventing criminal behaviour. They work by altering chemicals in the brain and are dopamine antagonists y blocking the D2 receptors ?

Question 43

How does Fazel support antipsychotics ?

Answer 43

Found a 45% reduction in violent rimes when ppts were prescribed antipsychotics. However the was only for violent crime.

Question 44

What is chlozapine ?

Answer 44

2nd generation atypical antipsychotics that tackles positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and blacks D2 receptors and serotonin receptors too.