What makes a criminal?

Question 1

What are the 5 main factors?

Answer 1

• genetics
• brain structure
• learning
• cognition
• upbringing

Question 2

What are the two branches of explanation for what makes a criminal?

Answer 2

physiological & non-physiological

Question 3

What are the physiological explanations for what makes a criminal?

Answer 3

genetics and brain dysfunction

Question 4

What are the non-physiological explanations for what makes a criminal?

Answer 4

learning, upbringing, and cognition

Question 5

What is the main brain structure related to brain dysfunction?

Answer 5

PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX

Question 6

What is the role of the pre-frontal cortex?

Answer 6

• impulse control
• self control

Question 7

How does the pre-frontal cortex relate to crime?

Answer 7

low arousal (activity) means that pre-frontal cortex abilities are impaired = lack self control and extremely impulsive

Question 8

What is the metaphor for the pre-frontal cortex?

Answer 8

emergency break on behaviour = gone in violent offenders

Question 9

What are Raine’s views on using biological explanations for criminal behaviour?

Answer 9

• biology is NOT the only factor that influences criminal behaviour
• does NOT excuse criminal behaviour & responsibility should be taken
• BIOSOCIAL

Question 10

What other areas of the brain are implicated in brain dysfunction (& how)?

Answer 10

• Amygdala = fear / emotions
• Temporal Lobe = language, memory & learning
• Limbic system = aggressive urges

Question 11

What is the gene associated with criminal behaviour?

Answer 11

Warrior gene (MAOA)

Question 12

What is the MAOA gene related to?

Answer 12

aggressive and violent criminal behaviour

Question 13

What does low MAOA activity link to in criminals?

Answer 13

increase susceptibility to anti social traits and aggression = a risk factor for criminal behaviour

Question 14

What is the key research for the genetic explanation?

Answer 14

Brunner

Question 15

What is Brunner’s research into genetics?

Answer 15

• genetic counselling
• case study
• genetic mutation in maternal line (mutation on X chromosome)
• Brunner syndrome
• males cannot produce MAOA
• 5 urine samples

Question 16

What are the strengths to the physiological explanations of crime?

Answer 16

• scientific
• reliable

Question 17

What are the weaknesses of the physiological explanations of crime?

Answer 17

• deterministic = socially sensitive
• lacks ecological validity
• reductionist

Question 18

What are the childhood risk factors for crime?

Answer 18

• measures of family criminality
• daring or risk taking
• low school attainment
• poverty
• poor parenting

Question 19

What is the piece of research that relates to upbringing?

Answer 19

Farrington

Question 20

What is Farrington’s research into upbringing?

Answer 20

• Cambridge study into delinquent development
• 411 boys who were aged 8 (at time of study starting)
• interviewed the boys as boys, adolescents, and adults

Question 21

What is the piece of research that relates to learning?

Answer 21

Sutherland

Question 22

What is Sutherland’s research into learning?

Answer 22

• more contact with someone who has attitudes favourable to criminal activity the more criminal behaviour they themselves will commit
• white collar crimes e.g., fiddling expenses or tax fraud
• basis that ‘everybody does it’

Question 23

What is the piece of research that relates to cognitive?

Answer 23

Palmer & Hollin

Question 24

What is Palmer and Hollin’s research into cognition?

Answer 24

• operation at an immature level of moral reasoning
• Kohlbergian preconventional stage of moral reasoning
• actions judged by outcomes for themselves

Question 25

What are the strengths of the upbringing explanation?

Answer 25

• longitudinal aspect = removes individual differences = increases validity
• very useful and has practical applications = decrease crime

Question 26

What are the weaknesses of the upbringing explanation?

Answer 26

• not scientific
• ethical issues as children are often used = lack of informed consent
• socially sensitive as it blames parents

Question 27

What are the strengths of the learning explanation?

Answer 27

• use of lab experiments = more scientific and causality can be established
• practical applications = useful

Question 28

What are the weaknesses of the learning explanation?

Answer 28

• lack ecological validity (lab experiments)
• deterministic - removes free will
• reductionist as it ignores internal mental processes

Question 29

What are the weaknesses of the cognitive explanation?

Answer 29

• cognition/ the mind cannot be seen = decreases scientific and validity

Question 30

What areas do the non-physiological explanations link to?

Answer 30

• cognitive = cognitive area
• upbringing = developmental area
• learning = behaviourist perspective

Question 31

What is the key research for what makes a criminal?

Answer 31

Raine

Question 32

What does rain focus on?

Answer 32

physiological explanations of crime

Question 33

Why is it important to know what causes criminal behaviour?

Answer 33

prevention and treatment of criminal offending