Biological explanations for crime

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  • Created by: Rosie666
  • Created on: 13-02-19 20:38
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  • Biological explanations for crime
    • Brain regions
      • Amygdala
        • Smaller in psychopathic killers
        • Linked to fear repsonses
      • Damaged orbital cortex in murderers
      • Up to 60% of prisoners have brain injuries
        • Vietnam war veterans, who injured the front of their head, (planning and decision making) became more agressive
    • MZ/DZ twins
      • MZ 52%          DZ 12%
        • MZ have the same genes. DZ shared about 50%
        • Suggests genes are a component
        • If crime is purely down to genetics, the concordance rate for MZ should be 100%
    • Neuro transmitters
      • MAOA - lower levels of serotonin - associated with agression
      • High levels of serotonin in womb and early childhood, the person becomes insensitive
        • Lacks the calming effect of serotonin
        • Serotonin has a compulsive control
    • Candidate genes
      • MAOA gene "warrior gene"
        • Links to aggressive behaviour
        • Half the population has this gene and so at most it is only a contributing factor
        • Jim Fallon has all of these genetic risk factor yet has never committed a crime
      • CDH13
        • Associated with ADHD and substance abuse
        • These genes get triggered by environmental factors (epigenetics)

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