Is Criminal Behavior Determined Biologically - Essay Example

Abdulkarim Almutairi CJST 4400 Russell Darlymple Feb 2nd Is Criminal Behavior Determined Biologically? In today’s times crime has become an extremely common issue that occurs on an everyday basis. Some of the crimes committed are serious while others are not and still others remain unreported. Each human being is different not only on basis of appearance but also with regards to socioeconomic status, background and thought processes. In spite of being vastly different from one another, humans tend to have common cravings for a good life that is free from problems and other stress factors. Perhaps, this very craving leads to crime itself. However I do not believe that crime is determined biologically since in the Nature versus Nurture debate I strongly support Nurture. Some do believe that crime has a genetic disposition but I believe that any person, irrespective of their biological or genetic background, when faced with certain stress factors can commit crime. Since the very beginning of the 20th century, several social researchers have reported that Blacks tend to commit more crimes when compared to their White or Asian counterparts (Piquero and Barme,2008). In fact official statistics also support this claim since and the racial minorities are regarded to be more genetically disposed towards crimes than other groups. In the recent years the field of behavioral genetics has conducted massive studies to understand whether genes and crimes are related or not. Race studies, adoption studies and twin studies have suggested that anti-social behavior is linked to the genes. Experts believe that since things such as gambling, drug abuse, risk-taking behavior and pleasure-seeking show evidence of genetic influence and since all of these behaviors have the potential to initiate crimes; one may suggest that crime and genes maybe closely related (Baker et al, 2006). In fact the field of forensic psychiatry supports the idea that chronic criminals have mutations in their genes which are hereditary in nature. According to this these mutations have an effect on the autonomic nervous system which in turn reduces an individual’s ability to learn normal social forces in inhibiting criminal behavior (Mednick and Finello,1983). On the other hand, with regards to the Nature versus nurture theory, I feel that nurturing has profound influence on one’s behavior. The environment and stress factors that an individual is exposed to, has a great deal of influence on his behavioral outcomes. Some of these stress factors are poverty and drug abuse. The constant association of Black minorities to commit crimes is overrated. In fact, Black and Hispanic neighborhoods are indeed more prone to crime than White neighborhoods but this is not attributed to their genetic make-up at all. Ulmer et al, conducted a study in 2012 where they analyzed census-place level data from California and Chicago and segregated White, Black and Hispanic population on basis of their social status and crime rate including homicide and violent acts. The results of the study showed that the difference in the crime rate between the racial minorities when compared to their White counterparts is due to their social and structural disadvantage (Ulmer et al, 2012). Next, the social structure and urban living conditions also contributes towards higher crime rate. A study demonstrated the complex relation between poverty, drug abuse and crime rate in U.S. localities. This study conducted by Valdez et al, investigated and established that in most U.S Urban areas, where community level poverty is high, individual level drug bause and crime rate is also high. Thus poverty and urban social structure are prime contributors towards drug abuse behavior as well (Valdez et al, 2007). In most cases, drug abuse behavior is followed by depression and other crimes which are ultimately a result of the several stressors that the individual was exposed to. Some twin studies do suggest that even in twins who are brought up in different environments show do share the common tendency to commit crime owing to their genetic similarity. However several studies have refuted this since acts of violence and antisocial behavior have been attributed as a complex interplay between genetics and environment. Tsuang et al conducted a study and established that in stark comparison to other twin studies where crime and genetic disposition positive inter-relation was established. In this study both twin (similar genetic make-up) and adoptee (non-similar genetic make-up) was done and the crime rate was analyzed. The results for both the subject groups was fairly equal thereby highlighting the fact that gene and environment have equal contributions to behavior (Tsuang et al, 2004). On a personal level I think, that since it is not possible to accurately understand the affect that genes and the environment has, one’s antisocial behavior may be attributed to both. I strongly support the fact that genetic studies is at its very zenith today and that most diseases including some mental illnesses have genetic disposition. However, when it comes to the human behavior or the human mind it is not possible for genes alone to work and influence one’s acts and I firmly believe that a man’s criminal behavior is not influenced by his genes. One of the most well known social psyhcologicsts B.F.Skinner had once said that he could turn a child into anything that he wanted. This is because children have a de-novo mind which can be influenced and shaped in any way and hence where a positive environmental can make a child become a lawyer, doctor or cop, a negative influence on the other hand can even turn a child into a burglar, drug abuser or alcoholic later in life. In stark contrast to the major belief that criminal behavior has a genetic disposition, I think that environmental factors play a more profound role. This is supported by the studies where it was proven that social structure, poverty and drug abuse are the major drivers of crime and since most minorities are both educationally and economically backward they have been unjustly related to crime as well. Moreover twin and adoptee studies have also shown equal crime rate thereby also highlighting the affect that one’s environment has on one’s behavior. Since, criminal behavior does have some common attributes such as poverty or criminal parents or environment, steps may be taken to educate children who are exposed to such stressors to help them cope with these drawbacks and make the right decision. Also, widespread education needs to be conducted in minority neighborhoods to allow them access to education and employment as well. References Baker,L.A. et al .(2006). Behavioral Genetics: the law of antisocial behavior.Law Contemp Probl, 69 (1), p.7-46. Mednick, S.A. and Finello,K.M.(1983). Biological factors and crime: implications for forensic psychiatry. International journal of Law and Psychiatry. 6 (1) , p.1-15. Piquero,A.R. and Brame,R.W. Assessing the Race–Crime and Ethnicity–Crime Relationship in a Sample of Serious Adolescent Delinquents.Crime Delinq, 54(3),p.390-442. Tsuang,M.T. (2004). Gene-environment interactions in mental disorders.World psychiatry, 3 (2), p.73-83. Valdez, A. et al (2007). Aggressive Crime, Alcohol and Drug Use, and Concentrated Poverty in 24 U.S. Urban Areas.American Journal of Drug and Alcohol abuse, 33 (4), p.595-603. Ulmer,J.T. et al.(2012). Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Structural Disadvantage and Crime: White, Black, and Hispanic Comparisons. Social Science Q, 93(3), p.799-819. Read More