Evaluate biological exps with ref to statement (15)

• Para 1: inherited criminality (1)

  • P: one biological explanation for criminality is the idea that is inherited through genetic mechanisms.

  • E: adoption studies provide strong support for this, as shown by Crowe (1972), who found that adopted children with a biological parent with a criminal record had a 38% greatest risk of having a criminal record themselves by age 18, compared to only 6% if their biological parent had no such history. Mednick et al. (1987) further reinforced this with a large-scale study showing that criminality in biological parents predicted offending more than criminality in adoptive parents.

  • E: however, these findings are largely limited to violent and aggressive crimes, not all individuals with these genetic links become criminals, which undermines a purely biological determinist view. This suggests while genetic factors increase vulnerability, they do not cause criminality alone, and environmental...
• Para 1: inherited criminality (2)

  • E: …interaction must be considered

  • L: therefore, the idea that criminality is the clear outcome of biology is overly simplistic and reductionist
• Para 2: role of amygdala

  • P: another biological explanation focuses on brain structures such as the amygdala, which regulates emotional responses including aggression.

  • E: Gospic et al. used the Ultimatum Game to demonstrate that heightened amygdala activity was associated with aggressive rejection of unfair offers, and that sedatives reduced both aggression and amygdala activation. Longitudinal evidence from Pardini et al. (2014) also showed that lower amygdala volume in early life predicted persistent violent behaviour over 20 years.

  • E: these findings suggest a biological basis for aggressive crime. However, the amygdala does not function in isolation; other brain areas like the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), involved in impulse control, are also crucial (Raine et al., 1997). Moreover, damage to the amygdala affects empathy and emotional processing, acting as a risk factor rather than a direct cause of criminality.
• Para 2: role of the amygdala (2)

  • L: hence, while neural abnormalities may predispose individuals to crime, they interact with wider psychological and social influences, meaning criminal behaviour cannot be fully explained by biology alone.
• Conclusion

  In conclusion, while biological explanations offer valuable insights into the causes of criminal behaviour - particularly violent crime - they cannot fully account for the complexity and diversity of criminal acts. Genes and brain structure may predispose individuals, but they do not determine behaviour in isolation. Therefore, the claim that criminality is the clear outcome of biological processes overlooks the crucial role of environmental, cognitive and social factors.