AO3

• Raine studied 41 murderers who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and found they had a differences in their brain activiy in areas linked to aggression such as the limbic system and prefrontal cortex compared to a control group of ppts. However, it can be argued the research is only a correlation so only shows a relationship rather than cause and effect
• Neural explanations are more relevant to everyday behaviour and they may lead to offending behaviour in some circumstances and underpin a mental illness which increases the likelihood of crimes being commited in some circumstances rather than the level of the chemical suggesting the relationship is indirect
• Reductionist approach therefore can be seen as simplifying criminal behaviour, and is likely that the issue is far more complex than the level of a biochemical in an individual's brain