What makes a Criminal (Biological)

Question 1

What is physiological?

Answer 1

If criminal behaviour has a physiological cause, this suggests that it is controlled genetically and is therefore the product of evolution.

Question 2

What are the background studies (physiological)?

Answer 2

Lombroso (1896)

Sheldon (1942)

Brunner (1993)

Question 3

Outline Lombroso (1896)

Answer 3

He observed similar features such as prominent jaws, brow ridges and large ears.

From the perspective of natural selection he recorded characteristics that could be seen as primitive in terms of evolution.

Question 4

Outline Sheldon (1942)

Answer 4

He proposed that mesomorphs were more likely to be criminals

Bigger, muscular children and adults might discover that they can achieve things more easily by force than by hard work.

Finally the mesomorph body type may be more common in those from poor backgrounds. If poor background are also associated with higher rates of criminality.

Question 5

Outline Brunner (1993)

Answer 5

Warrior gene a case study on a Dutch family was carried out to investigate biological explanations of crime.

Brunner found that they all had mutations in their monoamine (MOA) gene which involved with serotonin.

Question 6

What is meant by non-physiological?

Answer 6

Behaviour is not effected by the brain but instead development and the environment around the individual.

Question 7

What are the background studies (physiological)?

Answer 7

Fafchamps (1999)

Farringron and Judy (2001)

Question 8

Outline Fafchamps (1999)

Answer 8

In Madagascar there was extreme poverty due to a bias and corrupt election and shortage of food.

In conclusion people steal food and others possessions when poverty has increased suggesting that the effect of poverty makes people more inclined to turn to crime, perhaps because they have no choice.

Question 9

Outline Farringron and Juby (2001)

Answer 9

Reseracher wanted to compare minor crimes among boys living in permanently disrupted families (not raised by biological parents).

The research found that minor crime rates were highest in boys living in permanently disrupted families at age 15 compared to those living in intact families

Boys who’d lost their mother were more likely to offend than those who’d lost their father.

Question 10

Outline the aim of Raine et als reserach

Answer 10

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 11

What is the role of the Amygdala?

Answer 11

The amygdala is associated with aggressive behaviour and the recognition of emotional stimuli such as fear on someone’s face. Damage to the amygdala is associated with ‘fearlessness’.

Question 12

What is the role of the limbic system?

Answer 12

The limbic system made up of the amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex governs the expression of emotion.

Question 13

What research method was used?

Answer 13

Quasi experiment

Matched pairs design

Question 14

Outline the sample used

Answer 14

41 murderers’ (39 male, 2 female) not guilty by reason of insanity

41 controls (39 male, 2 female)

Question 15

What were the materials used?

Answer 15

Thermoplastic head holder

Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) tracer

Question 16

Outline the procedure?

Answer 16

Ten minutes before receiving the FDG injection, participants were given practice trials on the CPT.

32 minutes after the FDG injection, the participant was transferred to an adjacent PET scanner room.

An individually moulded, thermosetting plastic head holder was used to hold the head still during the scan.

Two techniques were used to identify brain regions:

Cortical peel technique
Box technique

Question 17

What were the results?

Answer 17

Criminals reduced brain activity in limbic system.

Abnormal asymmetries: reduced activity on the left, greater activity on the right

Question 18

What did Raine et al conclude?

Answer 18

The abnormal activity in the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus are associated with aggressive behaviour. Impulsiveness and lack of fear.

The results do not show that violent behaviour is determined by biology alone.

Question 19

Outline how plastic surgery can be used to reduce criminal behaviour

Answer 19

Self forfilling prophecy.

Lewinson conducted an experiment on 450 facial reconstruction operations on the prison population.

Sex offenders and drug users were rejected to participate in the research.

Results:
42% re-offended which is considerably less than 75% rate for the general prison population

prisoners shifted from blatant crimes to more subtle e.g. theft to fraud or con artistry

Question 20

How did follow up research by Raine propose a strategy to reduce criminal behaviour?

Answer 20

Raine created a programme that consisted of providing:

Nutrition – milk, fruit juice and a hot meal a day consisting of fish or chicken with salad.

Physical exercise – afternoon sessions in the gym, free play and structured games.

Cognitive stimulation – nursery school provided activities consisting of toys, puzzles, art, drama and music.