Biochemical explanations

• Biochemical substances and processes have been suggested as possible causes of criminal behaviour, because of their effect on brain chemistry and mental processes.
• Sex hormones- testosterone.

  males overproduction or underproduction of hormones may cause emotional disturbances that lead to criminal behaviour.

  Males are more aggressive than females, testosterone has been linked with crimes such as murder and rape.
• What is Ellis and Coontz theory on testosterone?

  Testosterone levels peak from puberty to the early 20s and this age correlates with the highest crime rates in males.
• Females pre-menstrual tension, post-natal depression and lactation (breastfeeding) have all been accepted as partial defences for women charged with crimes ranging from shoplifting to infanticide (killing their child), on the grounds that the hormones involved have affected the defendant's judgement, mood or self-control.
• How can blood sugar levels trigger criminal behaviour?

  Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can trigger aggressive reactions, studies show a link between low blood sugar and alcohol abuse. Drinking large quantities of alcohol can induce hypoglycemia and increase aggression.

  Schoenthaler claims that by lowering the daily sucrose intake of young offenders, he could reduce the level of their anti-social behaviour.
• Hypoglycemia in such instances can result in impairment of judgement, sensory perception and motor reaction. There is also a release of primitive aggressiveness which further aggravates the original offence. Aggressiveness is an outstanding characteristic of hypoglycemic generated criminality.
• How can serotonin trigger criminal behaviour?


  Serotonin is a transmitter which has been associated with regulating mood and behaviour.

  Serotonin can be partially controlled by diet, eating foods such as dark chocolate, cheese, nuts, salmon, turkey, and chicken, can help raise serotonin levels.
• What is Scerbo and Raines study on serotonin?

  They conducted a meta-analysis on 29 studies into anti-social adults and children and found low levels of serotonin associated with all of them. The idea is that low levels of serotonin is associated with higher levels of aggression (and therefore violent crime).
• How can substance abuse trigger criminal behaviour?

  Saunders calculated that alcohol played a significant role in about 1,000 arrests per day.

  In the US, Flanzer estimated that 80% of family violence cases involved alcohol. Cocaine and crack are also closely linked with violence, whereas cannabis and heroin tend to reduce aggression.
• How can steroids trigger criminal behaviour?

  Steroids are drugs that can increase muscle growth and increase testosterone levels. People on steroids can become violent.

  For example, Horace Williams, an American bodybuilder, beat a man to death after taking 2000 times the recommended dosage of steroids.
• How can other substances trigger criminal behaviour?

  substances like food additives and diet, allergens, vitamin deficiencies and lead pollution can affect various biochemical processes in the body and this in turn can affect behaviour.

  for example, vitamin B deficiency has been linked to erratic and aggressive behaviour.
• strengths of biochemical explanations

  -Biochemical factors are recognised by courts

  -sex hormones, alcohol, drugs are all known to affect mood/behaviour.
• weaknesses of biochemical explanations

  -Biochemical processes may need environmental triggers too

  -Some studies do not find testosterone linked to physical aggression

  -infanticide may be caused by isolation rather than hormones.