Genetic and Neural

• The nature of some of the research into neurochemistry and neurophysiology is often correlational, which means that there is no clear way to show cause and effect
• Examples of correlational research

  • Low levels of serotonin found in offenders could be a cause of offending behaviour, but they could also be the effect of it
  • Structural brain abnormalities found in Raine et al. (1997), could be a cause of offending behaviour or the result of some environmental factor, which in turn makes them more likely to become a criminal
• This highlights the complexity of the relationship between biology and behaviour and suggests that further investigation is required
• Researchers looking at the way a neurotransmitter or brain region might contribute to offending behaviour are overlooking other important factors, such as how the environment might have an impact on these areas as well
• Reducing complex behaviour to its simplest form does require researchers to overlook key factors, but it is also essential for good scientific practice
• Biologically deterministic


  The explanation suggests that offending is carried out as a result of genetic vulnerabilities or neurological dysfunctions, rather than someone's conscious choice
• The genetic explanation for offending fails to take factors such as poverty, the influence of friendships, and life changing events into account
• This has negative implications for the criminal justice system which relies on the principle that people should be held accountable for their actions
• 1. 10% of all severe violent crimes committed in Finland were attributable to a dysfunctional MAOA genotype, supporting the view that offending behaviour may be strongly connected with candidate genes
• The neural explanation for offending suggests that offending is controlled by neurological dysfunctions such as poor functioning in the prefrontal cortex leading to a greater impulsivity and aggression via serotonin levels
• Support for the neural explanation for offending needs to be viewed sensitively as it complicates the criminal justice system and the appropriateness of consequences that are issued in response