AC4.1

inheritance of genes can explain the presence of simple and complex human behavioural characteristics 

reinforcing ideas of biological determinism - claism that biology has contributed to many social problems 

varied over time and in different countries - Nazi sterilisation programme

osborn & west = found that 40% of boys whose fathers had criminal records had criminal records themselves, compared with just over 12% of boys whose fathers did not have a criminal record 

Biological determinism - a perons personality or behaviour is caused by the genes they've inherited 

incarcerated criminals - people who have been found guilty of a criminal offence - receiving a term of imprisonment 

Lombroso - inherited features which embraced a criminals face e.g. high cheekbones, large ears, upturned nose 

extreme biologically driven policy of capital punishment 

abolished in the UK

Evaluation 

USA - rates of crime is less in states that do not have the death penalty rather than the states that do. 25% higher in states that did have the death penalty. 

the death penalty is not a deterrant 

not many countries use the death penalty as it is unethical and causes more damage than it does justice. 

neurochemicals = influincing the brain's chemistry by diet 

gesch et al (2002) - 231 young male adult prisoners volunteered to agree to receiev either a daily vitamin, fatty acid supplementation or a placebo drug. a number of measures were taken before and during the test, including psychological testing, reports of violent acts and reports of disiplinary action. 

results = placebo dropped by 6.7% 

the researh demonstrates that it is possible for a diet to change the impact of aggressive behaviour = less crime. 

link to ac2.1 brain abnormality - several research studies have suggested that damage to the pre-frontal cortex of the brain may cuase individuals to have an altered behaviour pattern. Becoming more immature and having an increased loss of self-control.