Physiological Theories of Crime Flashcards
Physiological theories suggest that…
through biological and genetic factors, certain physical traits may predispose individuals to criminal behaviour
2 exam
Physiological explanations of crime assume that some people are ‘born criminals’ who are physiologically distinct from non-criminals. One physiological theory for crime is the MAOA gene. The MAOA gene or ‘warrior gene’ has been linked to aggressive behaviour and is associated with repeat violent offenders. Timonen conducted an analysis of around 900 offenders in Finland and found those with the gene were 134 more likely to have a history of repeated violent behaviour. It is estimated at least 5-10% of violent crimes in Finland could be attributed to people with these genes. However around 113 of men contain the MAOA gene but that doesn’t mean they will commit crime. Professor Jim Fallon says”… a gene by itself, the variant doesn’t dramatically affect behaviour, but under certain environmental conditions there is a big difference.” showing how genes are not the sole factor in a person’s likelihood to commit crime. This is backed up by many theorists who say it if not the gene itself that leads to violence but rather other factors like environment and upbringing which trigger it. Around 34% of Europeans have the MAOA gene yet homicide is committed by about 1% of people in their life. Another physiological theory for the cause of crime is a low resting heart rate. People with a lower resting heart rate have an unusually low level of arousal or alertness therefore seeking out risky or criminal experiences to boost arousal. A UK study found that individuals at the age of 12 in the lowest 25% for heartrate are 60% more likely to commit crime as adults. In comparison to the UK, a researcher in Finland carried out a study on Swedish men which found a correlation between lower resting heart rate and criminal tendencies. Men with a lower resting heart rate were 39% more likely to be convicted of violent crime than men with a resting heart rate of 83+ beats per minute. However, Karman pointed out that among men with the highest resting heart rate, 5% committed crime, compared to 5.8% of men with the lowest resting heart rate, making the theory less significant. Physiological theories on crime can be relevant as shown in the UK study on low resting heart rate, however genes mostly appear to make people more likely to commit crime when combined with negative environments, making the theory less relevant. Overall physiological theories are most able to explain criminal behaviour when combined with environmental factors.
