background

• statistical tests have shown that there are links between factors in the lives and backgrounds of offenders and non-offenders and the risk of becoming an offender suggests it is more than just chance. some of these factors may be underlying causes, however can be seen as indicators/symptoms of an anti-social tendency
• 1. social explanations of criminal behaviour - upbringing


  farrington et al (1996) conducted a longitudinal study on a group of males from 8 to 32 testing the hypothesis that problem families produce problem children. Participants with convicted parents were found to be more likely to be convicted of crime than non-convicted of crime
• 2. cognitive explanations of criminal behaviour: criminal thinking patterns

  another influence that can explain why an individual may turn to crime is the way they think. the basic assumption is that must be a difference between the way a law-abiding person thinks and the way criminal thinks. the PICTS scale comprises the following eight thinking styles
• McCoy et al (2006)

  the relation of self-reported criminal-thinking styles and self-reported illegal behaviour among college students. the results indicated that males who committed violent crimes against people endorsed significantly higher levels of distorted criminal-thinking patterns on all scales than the control-status. females who committed property crimes displayed 6 significantly elevated PICTS, whereas females with violent crimes had significant elevations on only four scales
• modern explanations of criminal behaviour focus on three biological factors, genes, brain dysfunction, and biochemistry of the brain.

  1. hormonal factors
  2. brain abnormalities
• hormonal factors


  glenn and raine found that low levels of cortisol in childhood can predict aggressive behaviour in adolescence. elevated testosterone at age 16 was associated with crime in adulthood.

  Dabbs et al (1995) used a sample of 692 male prison inmates. they measured the levels of testosterone in saliva samples and individuals who committed personal or sex crimes had higher levels of testosterone. individuals who had higher testosterone levels were also found to have violated more prison rules
• brain abnormality


  biology may account for as much as 50% of the explanation for violent criminal behaviours in individuals who have dysfunction in their brains. e.g. the serial killer fred west experienced brain damage on a number of occasions and perhaps this may have been a factor in causing him to turn to crime.
• prefrontal cortex


  research has found that damage or dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex of the brain may result in impulsivity, immaturity, altered emotionality, loss of self-control and the inability to modify behaviour. all of these could lead to an increase in aggression
• amygdala (limbic system)


  associated with aggressive behaviour and the recognition of emotional stimuli such as a fearful expression. damage to the amygdala can lead to feeling less fearful so more likely to get involved in crime due to not having a fear response. damage to this can lead to not learning from their previous experiences.
• parietal cortex


  verbal ability. therefore if damaged individuals may performed less at school leading to a risk of turning to crime