Biological Explanations of Criminality

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  • Biological Explanations of Criminality
    • Historical Explanations
      • Cesare Lombroso
        • Criminality is linked to physical characteristics
          • More primate like = More likely to be a criminal
            • Proved theory with pages of pictures of criminals and non-criminals
      • Phineas Gage
        • Railway worker who got a iron rod through his head due to an explosion
          • He was reported to have a changed personality with increased aggression
            • Doctors started to think about brain damage linking to behaviour and therefore a link between criminals
      • Charles Witman
        • Killed 13 people from a University observation tower after killing his wife and mother
          • He killed himself but left a note asking doctors to examine his brain because he couldn't control his aggression
            • The doctors found tumor pressing against his amygdala
      • William Sheldon
        • The three body types linked to three personalities
          • Most criminals tended to have a mesomorphic body type
    • Psychological Explanations
      • Explanations 1 = Brain dysfunction
        • Raine et al
      • Explanation 2 = Genetic Predisposition
        • Christiansen
          • Twin studies
            • 3568 twins
              • 52% concordance rates between identical twins
              • 22% concordance rates between non-identical twins
        • Brunner
          • Role of genetics and neurotransmitters
            • XXY syndrome
              • Over represented in prisons
              • Taller and lower IQ
              • Warrior gene
          • Case study of 5 males in one Dutch family
            • Genetic syndrome, borderline mental retardation, abnormal violent behaviour
            • Behaviour
              • Arson
              • Sexual behaviour to female family
              • Sleep distruabcnes and night terrors
              • Aggressive and violent behaviour
              • Data
                • Urine samples
                • Results
                  • Defcit with the enzyme monoamine oxidase
                    • Linked to the production of serotonin
                      • Struggle to regulate aggression
                  • Evaluation
                    • Scientific - more reliable (objective data)
                    • Useful - develops medication
                      • Poor generlisability - one family + one mutation
                    • No cause + effect
                    • Reductionist - (social aspect) primary school
    • Issues
      • Free will / Deterministc
        • Deterministic - genetics / brain structure influence our behavior
      • Situationall / Individual
        • Individual - our own biology affects our behavior
      • Nature / Nurture
        • What we're born with
          • Raine accepts there are social influences
      • Reductionist/ Holistic
        • Holistic - Raine said we need to look at social aspects too
        • Reductionist - Ignores upbringing/ environment
          • Makes it scientifc
      • Socilly Sensitive
        • Yes - saying someone will be a criminal because of genetics
        • Excuse for - bad behavior

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