11

Biological ApproachesBiological Approaches

22

Biological ApproachesBiological Approaches

MorphologicalMorphological Hereditary/GeneticHereditary/Genetic Biochemical/neurophysiologicalBiochemical/neurophysiological BiosocialBiosocial

33

Morphological--LombrosoMorphological--Lombroso

Mophological approaches assume that Mophological approaches assume that criminal behavior is inborn, associated criminal behavior is inborn, associated with physical body features, and that with physical body features, and that criminals have body features which are criminals have body features which are different from non-criminalsdifferent from non-criminals

Lombroso (late 1800s)Lombroso (late 1800s) Criminal behavior is atavistic in origin--Criminal behavior is atavistic in origin--

reversion to a more primitive typereversion to a more primitive type

44

Lombroso (continued)Lombroso (continued)

Believed external body features are Believed external body features are associated with abnormalities of the associated with abnormalities of the brain which result in criminal behaviorbrain which result in criminal behavior

Genetic accidents resulted in less than Genetic accidents resulted in less than fully evolved humans who had to live fully evolved humans who had to live among more modern men. Their among more modern men. Their behavior was beyond their controlbehavior was beyond their control

““Born criminals” vs. “Criminaloids”Born criminals” vs. “Criminaloids”

55

Lombroso (continued)Lombroso (continued)

Lombroso lacked adequate control Lombroso lacked adequate control groupsgroups

atavism does not exist in nature, there atavism does not exist in nature, there are no such genetic accidentsare no such genetic accidents

66

Sheldon’s morphological Sheldon’s morphological researchresearch

Correlation between physique and Correlation between physique and personalitypersonality

EndomorphEndomorph EctormorphEctormorph MesomorphMesomorph Some research finds criminals are more Some research finds criminals are more

mesomorphic, slightly shorter and mesomorphic, slightly shorter and lighter--why?lighter--why?

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Inheritance/genetic approachInheritance/genetic approach

Genes may be an indirect cause of Genes may be an indirect cause of behavior by influencing structures and behavior by influencing structures and functions that guide behaviorfunctions that guide behavior

MethodsMethods General pedigree studies (family studiesGeneral pedigree studies (family studies Twin studiesTwin studies Cross fosteringCross fostering

88

Family studiesFamily studies

Jukes and the KallikaksJukes and the Kallikaks

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Twin studiesTwin studies

Identical twins vs. fraternal twins. vs. Identical twins vs. fraternal twins. vs. siblings vs. unrelated children raised siblings vs. unrelated children raised togethertogether

technique used to study intelligence, technique used to study intelligence, criminality, mental illness, alcoholismcriminality, mental illness, alcoholism

condordance rates: rate of agreement condordance rates: rate of agreement between pairs--if one has a trait does between pairs--if one has a trait does the other have it?the other have it?

1010

Adoption (cross-fostering)Adoption (cross-fostering)

Adopted children have two sets of Adopted children have two sets of parents: biological, who supply the parents: biological, who supply the genes, and adoptive, who supply the genes, and adoptive, who supply the environmentenvironment

Who determines whether the children Who determines whether the children become criminal?become criminal?

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Mednick’s studyMednick’s study

In the table is the percentage of each In the table is the percentage of each group who was arrestedgroup who was arrested

BiologicalBiological

YES NOYES NO

AdoptiveAdoptive

YES 24% 14%YES 24% 14%

NO 20% 13%NO 20% 13%

1212

ConclusionsConclusions

In all instances a minority committed In all instances a minority committed crimes. Other factors play a role.crimes. Other factors play a role.

Biology played a role, in that children who Biology played a role, in that children who had parents who committed crimes were had parents who committed crimes were more likely to commit crimes than children more likely to commit crimes than children who had not. It appears to raise the who had not. It appears to raise the probably, or risk, although in all likelihood probably, or risk, although in all likelihood other factors are more importantother factors are more important

1313

XYY studiesXYY studies

It was hypothesized that an extra “Y” It was hypothesized that an extra “Y” chromosome would make a male more chromosome would make a male more aggressive, a “supermale”aggressive, a “supermale”

Richard SpeckRichard Speck Karyotype studiesKaryotype studies 2% of prisoners2% of prisoners .1% to .2% in general population.1% to .2% in general population

1414

XYY (continued)XYY (continued)

Therefore there are a greater percentage Therefore there are a greater percentage in prison than in the general populationin prison than in the general population

Most are not in for violent crimesMost are not in for violent crimes Thus, not “super males”Thus, not “super males” There may be sociological reasonsThere may be sociological reasons The XYY defense has been unsuccessful The XYY defense has been unsuccessful

in court in the U.S.in court in the U.S.

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Neurochemical-physiologicalNeurochemical-physiological

Hormonal imbalancesHormonal imbalances Diet (the “twinkie” defense)Diet (the “twinkie” defense) Toxic substances such as lead (related Toxic substances such as lead (related

to poverty)to poverty) EEG abnormalities more common in EEG abnormalities more common in

prisoners than in general populationprisoners than in general population More birth problems, head injuriesMore birth problems, head injuries

1616

neurophysiologicalneurophysiologicalAntisocial personalityAntisocial personality

autonomic nervous system underarousal, autonomic nervous system underarousal, less “flight or fight” reactionless “flight or fight” reaction

need for stimulationneed for stimulation less reaction to punishmentless reaction to punishment poor performance in avoidance learningpoor performance in avoidance learning improved performance with adrenaline improved performance with adrenaline

injectioninjection

1717

Biosocial approachBiosocial approach

physiological tendencies toward physiological tendencies toward criminality (such as being impulsive or criminality (such as being impulsive or aggressive) may be acquired in different aggressive) may be acquired in different waysways

The environment can act to encourage The environment can act to encourage or discourage criminality through its or discourage criminality through its interaction with the characteristics of the interaction with the characteristics of the individualindividual

1818

BiosocialBiosocial

Behavior results from interaction of Behavior results from interaction of physiological and environmental factorsphysiological and environmental factors

People with certain factors will become People with certain factors will become criminals if exposed to certain criminals if exposed to certain environmentenvironment

People born into criminogenic People born into criminogenic environments won’t become criminals if environments won’t become criminals if they lack a physiological predispositionthey lack a physiological predisposition

1919

Gender and crimeGender and crime

Males are more likely to commit crimesMales are more likely to commit crimes All three crime measures agreeAll three crime measures agree UCR violent--M:F 9:1UCR violent--M:F 9:1 property M:F 4:1property M:F 4:1 94% of U.S. prisoners are male94% of U.S. prisoners are male Historical and cross cultural findings Historical and cross cultural findings

support thissupport this

2020

Gender and crimeGender and crime

Lombroso: masculinity hypothesisLombroso: masculinity hypothesis Chivalry: treated more lenientlyChivalry: treated more leniently Males are more likely to be denied bail Males are more likely to be denied bail

and to receive prison sentences rather and to receive prison sentences rather than probationthan probation

2121

Current thinking--2 perspectivesCurrent thinking--2 perspectives

Biological and socioculturalBiological and sociocultural Biological perspectiveBiological perspective Males are more aggressive than Males are more aggressive than

females, and aggression and crime are females, and aggression and crime are relatedrelated

There might be a biological basis for There might be a biological basis for differences in aggressiondifferences in aggression

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Biological perspective Biological perspective (continued)(continued)

Gender differences in aggressiveness Gender differences in aggressiveness occur early in life, before sex-role occur early in life, before sex-role stereotyping of selfstereotyping of self

Among other primates, males display Among other primates, males display more aggressive behaviormore aggressive behavior

Differences in brain organization Differences in brain organization Males tend to be more aggressive, Males tend to be more aggressive,

dominant, visual-spatialdominant, visual-spatial

2323

Biological perspectiveBiological perspective

Females tend to have better language Females tend to have better language skillsskills

Although there are differences, there is Although there are differences, there is considerable overlap, so some females considerable overlap, so some females would commit crimeswould commit crimes

2424

Sociological perspective (gender)Sociological perspective (gender)

Women were discouraged from Women were discouraged from competitioncompetition

Taught to be “ladylike”Taught to be “ladylike” Supervised more closelySupervised more closely Males and females are treated and Males and females are treated and

socialized differentlysocialized differently Feminists have speculated that as the Feminists have speculated that as the

role of women changed, more crimerole of women changed, more crime

2525

Socialization & genderSocialization & gender

There has been some rise in female There has been some rise in female crime, the reasons are unclearcrime, the reasons are unclear

Female criminals come from the lowest Female criminals come from the lowest SES, least likely to benefit from the SES, least likely to benefit from the changes that have occurredchanges that have occurred

The rise might be due to the end of the The rise might be due to the end of the chivalry hypothesischivalry hypothesis