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Biology and Crime • Early Positivism: the legacy of the early 1900s • Sociological Criticism and Dominance • New Directions in Biological research – Heredity research – Biological Harms – Biological Correlates – Biosocial Theory Early Biological Positivism • Lombroso’s “born criminal” – Darwinist theory of “atavism” • Various theories of the “feeble-minded” • Charles Goring, E.A. Hooten – body stature and weight • The XYY supermale • Commonality of all these theories? Biology from 1940-1980s • Any hint of “biological research” was ridiculed, ignored, treated as “taboo.” – Current Sociologists? Criticism was warranted – Current Psychologists? “Knowledge destruction techniques” • 1990s-present: rebirth of biological research – Is modern biological research or theory any better? The Heritability of Crime • Family Studies – “Jukes,” and “Killikaks” (major flaws) – BUT – crime does appear to run in families • Twin Studies – Christianson (1977) – “Concordance” rates: MZ (36%), DZ (12%) – Criticism of twin studies? • Adoption studies – “cross fostering” analyses – criminal history of biological parents vs. adoptive parents Cross Fostering Analysis Mednick et al. (1984) Adoptive Parents Criminal? YES NO Biological Parents Criminal? YES NO 24.5% 14.7% 20.0% 13.5% Molecular Genetics • Gene Linkage Analysis – Hans Brunner and associates and the crazy Dutch family • However, such “one gene one disorder” (OGOD) situations unlikely to explain much crime • The Human Genome Project – Genome = the total DNA in an organism • Some evidence for genes related to “novelty seeking” and ADD/ADHD • Combinations of genes may “nudge” behavior Biological Harms • Prenatal or Perinatal insults – Maternal drinking/smoking, delivery complications, low birthweight, etc. • Exposure to toxins– lead – Especially for kids (brain/CNS still developing) • Sources of Lead Exposure • Cincinnati Lead Study (and others) Assuming that something is inherited or harmed... • Biological Correlates of Crime – Brain Activity & Central Nervous System • PET scans • Neurochemicals (serotonin) • Frontal Lobe = planning, self-monitoring, etc. – Autonomic Nervous System • Heart rate, skin conductance – Indirect measures (IQ, neuro-psych tests) – ADD/ADHD, personality traits ..... Many things point to “arousal” • Simple explanation = under aroused seek out thrills (such as crime) – Related = higher level of fearlessness • Others = arousal may relate to conditioning – Mednick’s biosocial theory Mednick’s biosocial theory • Children refrain from crime when consistently socialized to do so (similar to?) – Parental efficacy (consistent rewards/punishment) and social context of parenting – Children have different “learning ability” • Some do not feel the “sting” of punishment • Low cortical arousal, low nesting heart rate, etc. • Potent mix = poor parenting and low arousal POLICY IMPLICATIONS • Early Positivism – Eugenics (quotes from Hooten, others) • Biosocial Criminology – Biology may identify “high risk” kids – Prevention can target “social” factors