Part 4

• Brain Injuries

  • There are several research studies that have suggested that damage to the brain can alter an individual's behaviour
  • This alteration of behaviour can generate various changes such as altered behaviour patterns, immaturity, increased loss of self control, inability to modify behaviour
• Phineas Gage

  • A railway worker who survived an accident where a 3 foot, inch thick metal rod went through his head
  • This destroyed most of his left frontal lobe
  • Had convulsion immediately (not entirely clear if he even lost consciousness), but awoke quickly and was talking and walking soon afterwards
  • Never showed any impairment of movement or speech
  • Memory was intact, and was capable of learning new things
  • His behaviour changed significantly
• Phineas Gage's workmates: '"no longer Gage"'
• Phineas Gage's doctor: 'The balance between his "intellectual faculties and animal propensities" seemed gone. He could not stick to plans, uttered "the grossest profanity" and showed "little deference for his fellows."'
• Brain Diseases

  • Some brain diseases have been linked with criminal or anti-social behaviour
  • In 1920s, epidemics of encephalitis lethargica among children were linked to destructiveness, impulsiveness, arson and abnormal sexual behaviour
  • Senile dementia, Huntington's and brain tumours have also been linked to various forms of deviant or anti-social behaviour
• Charles Whitman

  • 1966 – Texas Tower Sniper
• Encephalitis Lethargica

  1. Younger children - clinginess; impaired concentration; restlessness and need for noise; lack of consideration for others

  2. As they grew in strength - impulsiveness escalated in violence and they posed a danger to themselves and others

  3. Errant behaviours included cruelty; destructiveness; lying; and self-mutilation including, in one example, removal of eyes

  4. When they reached adolescence - inappropriate and excessive sexuality, including sexual assault without regard for age or gender
• 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
• Biochemical factors linked to criminal behaviour

  • Sex hormones
  • Blood sugar levels
  • Substance abuse
  • Diet
• Sex Hormones

  • Over or underproduction of hormones may cause emotional disturbances and lead to criminal behaviours
  • Testosterone has been linked to crimes such as murder and rape
  • Premenstrual Tension (PMT), lactation and Post natal depression all have been accepted as partial defences to crime ranging from shoplifting to infanticide
  • The hormones involved with this conditions may have affected judgment, mood and self-control
• PMS as a defence

  • In 1980-81, two British women escaped murder convictions – claimed diminished responsibility due to premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
  • Sandie Craddock, an East London barmaid with 45 prior convictions, stabbed a fellow barmaid three times through the heart
  • Christine English, after a quarrel with her lover, crushed him to death against a utility pole with her car
  • With the aid of testimony by Dr. Katharina Dalton, the world's most prominent advocate for PMS victims, each woman was convicted only of manslaughter due to PMS- diminished responsibility
  • Most remarkably, neither woman was punished for her killing: Craddock received probation; English, a 12-month conditional discharge with a driving ban
• Blood Sugar Levels

  • Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) can trigger aggressive reactions
  • Studies show link between low blood sugar and alcohol abuse
  • Alcohol is linked to crimes of violence
  • Schoenthaler claims that by lowering the daily sucrose intake of young offenders, he could reduce the levels of anti-social behaviour
• Substance Abuse

  • This involves both legal and illegal substances and how these alter a person's behaviour
  • Saunders calculated that alcohol plays a role in 1000 arrests a day and 80% of family violence
  • Cocaine and crack closely linked with violence, whereas cannabis and heroin tend to reduce aggression
• AC2.1: Describe Biological Theories of criminality: Exam technique
• AC3.2: Evaluate the effectiveness of biological theories to explain causes of criminality