Neural explanation

• What is the role of brain regions as a part of the neural explanation for crime? What is APD?

  • Evidence suggests criminals may have neural differences in their brains compared to non criminals
  • Anti-social personality disorder = reduced emotional responses, lack of empathy, characterises many criminals
• How is the prefrontal cortex linked to the APD?

  • Raine (2000): 71 brain imaging studies show that individuals with APD have reduced activity in their prefrontal cortex and an 11% reduction of grey matter (enables information processing) in this area
  • Lowered activity in this area is associated with impulsiveness and loss of control
• How is the amygdala associated with crime?

  • Raine et al. (1997): studied murderers who were found 'not guilty by reason of insanity' - found abnormal asymmetries in their limbic system and amygdala
  • Found reduced activity on the left (associated with positive and pleasant emotions) and heightened activity on the right (associated with negative and threatening emotions)
• What is a strength of the neural explanation for crime?

  • Research support: Kandel and Freed (1989) found that people with APD and frontal lobe damage tended to show impulsive behaviour, being emotionally unstable and showed an inability to learn from their mistakes
  • Supports the idea that brain damage may be a causal factor in offending behaviour
• What is a limitation of the neural explanation for crime?

  • Environmental factors: Farrington et al. (2006) studied men with APD and found that they experienced serious risk factors in their childhood like physical neglect or being raised by a criminal
  • Rauch et al. (2006): psychological trauma can reduce functioning in the frontal lobe
  • Suggests offending is complex and there may be other intervening variables