Biology and Criminal Behaviour

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Biology and Criminal Behaviour

• Biological Perspectives Relevant to Forensic
  Psychology
• Year 3 Psychology crime

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Session Aims

• Introduce the main ways Biol used in Crim.
• Build on Evolutionary perspective.
• Also look at deficit view of crime.
• Discuss a few examples.
• Leave you able to develop your own knowledge to
  evaluate Biol claims.

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Using Biology Approaches

• Developmental.
• Brain structures.
• Neurotransmitter systems.
• Genetics.
• Biosocial Interaction
• Hormones ANS Toxins etc, etc.

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Is Biology Relevant to Crime?

• Big controversy, some say 100 no.
• BUT, we are animals biological things that have
  evolved to be as we are.
• Critics often misrepresent biol. crim.
• Biol been misused often.
• All we do has biol basis, not only factor, best
  people say Biosocial Interaction top.

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Adolescent Brain Development 1

• Brain set-up before birth. T level important.
• M 7x F crime, more for serious crime.
• M more impulsive, reckless, competitive, novelty
  seeking, aggressive. Less empathic.
• PFC involved in all executive function
  morality.
• From 10yrs PFC takes over control from amygdala
  builds circuits. Insulated in 20s.

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Adolescent Brain Development 2

• Insensitive reward systemgtdrugs, etc.
• Abuse prenatal alcohol/druggtPoor Dev
• Amygdalagtintense anger PFCgt impulsivity lack
  of morality gt blame?
• 2 adults, PFC damage as kidsgt AS/CB
• Teacher, paedophilia, etc due to PFC tumor
• US now seriously considering issue.

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Brain Deficits Crime 1

• See diffs in brains of some groups of crims.
  FTDgt10/22 criminal acts.
• Kids ADHD ODDgtPFC-striatum low.
• Kids PFC damagegtdelinquent, AS/CB.
• TC for sexual crimes?
• Raine less active PFC in 41murderers, ppths. Esp
  if emotion driven.
• 500 Ps, AS, violent, murders PFC low. Amyg hi.

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The Brain and Crime 2

• Criminal psychopaths emotional brain is less
  active in TC linked areas.
• 21 unconvicted AS Ppthy 11 less grey matter
  in PFC lo arousal on embarrassment
• Fits lower heart-rate of antisocial young. Fits
  fearlessness stimulation seeking.
• Over-active FC TC, using more to control
  behaviour?
• PFC vulnerable to injury insult.

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The Brain Death Row

• Mallett 2003US juvenile death row inmates
• 74 dysfunctional families
• 60 abuse or severe neglect
• 43 diagnosed Psychiatric disorders
• 38 substance addiction
• 38 lived in poverty
• Immature brains damaging factorsgt?

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Genes and Criminality

• Twin/adoption/twins reared apart/molecular
  genetics Gs affect AS aggressive behav.
• Cloninger Gottesman 1987 MZ concordance 74 vs
  Dz 47. gt 54 diff in adult crime G.
• Impact depends on environment.
• Cloninger m petty crime, just G12, E7,
  GE40. All adoptees.
• 140 M twins, 11yrs, tested every 3yrs, early
  crim links to chronic adults, low IQ, ADHD.
  Mz55 vs Dz29. G key.
• Genes more important in males.

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Genes Some Indirect Evidence

• Twins Gs critical for CD. (Slutske, W. et al
  1997)
• TwinsGs critical in early aggressive bullies
• 140 M twinsGs critical in early onset crime
• Genes do not explain male adol crime as all males
  share evolved genes.
• Raine crosscultural importance of genes.
• Genes relevant to non-violent crime.

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Genes, Transmitters Crime

• Genes work via some biol change.
• Serotonin (5-HT) Dopamine Gs key?
• 5HT down gt aggression ( depression)
• MAO key enzyme, Dutch family.
• gt Stephen Mobley (Dominos Pizza)
• MAO A3gtgreater aggression/impulsivity.
• HTR 2A G builds 5-HT receptor,link to ADHD.
• ADHD link to D4 7 repeat G, novelty seeking

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Some Other Biology

• Hormones T in m PMS defence.
• Hypoglycaemia (Twinky defence).
• ANS less responsive in AS, Ppths.
• Maternal smoking.
• Epilepsy.
• Diet

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And so to bed

• Forensic Psych needs to be informed by biol.
• Stupid to reject without understanding.
• Need to read for selves over the years.
• Be aware of limits risks.
• Look at number of Ps, methods, confounding
  factors and interactions.
• Remember some traits lead to more kids they
  depend on biol systems they depend on genes,
  Evol selects the G for B for T ALL Crucial.
• (To get notes save to your PC or similar. Has
  great refs.)