biological explanations of offending

• common explanation of criminality before research - often religious, demons possessed humans
• Lombroso challenged these concepts through scientific theory of atavistic form
• atavistic form - criminals genetically at a more primitive stage of human evolution and are 'throwbacks'

  criminality is innate
• physical differences between criminals and non criminals

  resemble ancestors

  symmetrical face

  heavy brow

  small or big ears that stick out

  large jaws

  big ass arms
• thieves - upturned nose
• muderers - hooked beak nose
• this theory became a branch of research called positivist school of criminology
• positivist school argues criminal behaviour has distinct characteristics and careful measurement of criminals reveal biological causes of criminal behaviour
• positive evaluation of PSC theory - Lombroso used careful measurements, paved way for more scientific approaches.

  rejected free will and believed in biological determinism
• GORING REFUTE PSC METHOD

  comparison of biological measurements of 3000 criminals with 3000 non criminals

  controlled age class and intelligence
• GORING REFUTE PSC FINDINGS

  found no physical differences between criminals and non criminals
• PSC - negative social implications

  atavistic form - scientific racism

  cannot claim dark skin equals criminal

  influence of policies in eugenics and biased IQ testing that harmed black communities
• genetic explanation for criminal behaviour - inherited genotypes make display of criminal behaviour
• shown through twin and adoption studies people with bio criminal relations more likely to be criminals
• GENE CANDIDATE - short variant of MAOA gene (produces less MAOA) which is linked to high levels of criminal behaviour in particular agression

  diathesis stress: some genes only expressed due to interaction with environment
• neural explanation for criminality - biological processesin brain lead to criminal behaviour
• eg of neural explanation - imbalance of neurotransmitters linked to offending.

  noradrenaline = aggression

  serotonin = impulsivity
• neural explanation eg

  low limbic system - not experiencing empathy

  underdeveloped frontal cortex - poor impulse control
• RHEE GENETIC EXPLANATION SUPPORT methodology

  51 twin and adoption studies, meta-analysis
• RHEE FINDINGS 


  genetics accounted for 41% of variance in anti- social behaviour and environmental effects

  59% suggests hereditary genetic factors are significant driver of anti social crime
• BRUNNER SUPPORT GENETIC AND NEUROCHEMICAL EXPLANATION

  case study on family in netherlands

  males had history of impulsive aggression
• BRUNNER SUPPORT GENETIC EXPL FINDINGS

  males - defective MAOA genes producing no MAOA.

  extreme levels of criminality have genetic origin
• RAINE SUPPORT GENETIC AND NEURAL EXP 


  measured volume of frontal lobe in people with APD (anti social personality disorder) compared to people without
• RAINE FINDINGS 


  11% people with APD had reduction in prefrontal grey matter
• 2 limitations of biological explanation

  biologically determinist so socially sensitive, can justify discrimination

  reductionist

  drug abuse, mental illness and abuse ignored