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Evaluate the effectiveness of biological theories to explain the causes of…
Evaluate the effectiveness of biological theories to explain the causes of criminality
Physiological theories (1) Lombroso
strengths
first person to study crime scientifically, using objective measure. Crime was seen as a moral or religious issue
showed importance of examining clinical and historical records of criminals
later work took limited account to environmental and social factors.
arguing offenders do not freely choose to commit crime, focus on how we can prevent further offending rather than punishment
weakenesses
no control group
racism by describing them as 'primitive savages'.
failed to show a link between facial features and criminality
Genetic theories (1) Jacob's XYY theory
strengths
link between offenders and imprisoned for violent behaviour
Price and Whatmore - link between syndrome and property crime
weaknesses
doesn't prove that XYY syndrome causes aggression
XYY over-represented in prison
syndrome is rare so can't explain a lot about crime
tall and well built = stereotypes of a 'violent offender'. labelled
Brain injuries and disorders
strengths
brain injuries can lead to a major change in the individual's personality and behaviour
some correlation between EEG readings and psychopathic criminality
prisoners are more likely to have brain injury than non-prisoners
limitations
brain injury could be caused by committing crime.
crimes caused by brain injuries are rare.
not clear if abnormal brainwave activity causes psychopathic criminality
biochemical explanations
strengths
sexual hormones, blood sugar levels and substance abuse can affect mood and behaviour
testosterone levels peak the same age as male offending
alcohol reduces self-control
biochemical factors are recognised by the courts. i.e. infanticide and shoplifting
limitations
may require an environment trigger for criminal behaviour
Scarmella + Brown - testosterone levels do not affect aggression levels
Schalling - high testosterone levels result in verbal aggression
infanticide may be due to isolation and a new responsibility
General criticisms of biological theories
environmental factors - environmental factors may be needed to act as a trigger to get criminal behaviour
sample bias - often use convicted criminals, but not the criminals that got away with their crime. cant generalise all crime and criminals
gender bias - most biological theories explain why men commit crime not women
crime is a social construction - crime varies between culture and crime, can't come up with a universal answer
Physiological theories (2) Sheldon's somatotypes
strengths
other studies replicated findings. Glueck + Glueck found 60% offenders were mesomorphs
the more mesomorphic the body, the seriouser the crime
weaknesses
didn't account for the ectomorphs and the endomorphs that committed crime
person may have a mesomorphic body to be able to do their work.
best explained not just by biology, had to have biological, psychological and environmental factors as well.
may need a mesomorphic body in order to succeed
labelling may play a part. labelling them as criminal may become their master status resulting in them becoming criminal
Genetic theories (2) Adoption studies
strengths
explores the link between if crime is genetic or an environmental stimulus. separates genes and environment
nature vs nurture
adoptees were more likely to have a criminal record if biological parents had one as well
limitations
Gottfredson + Hirschi - genes had little effect on criminality
adoptees were placed into similar environments as birth family. similar environments = similar behaviour
many children were not adopted straightaway so had to stay with biological parents. early environment may be the true cause of crime.
Genetic theories (3) Twin studies
strengths
logical to if there is a correlation with crime and sharing the same genetics
higher concordance rate for identical twins than non-identical twins
weaknesses
they may become criminal due to the environment they grow up.
if it was genetic, there would be a 100% concordance rate for identical twins.
monozygotics are more likely to be treated in similar ways
impossible to separate genes from environment
in earlier studies, no way of knowing if twins were genetically identical... DNA testing didn't exist then