An integrative look at criminal behavior

On All Levels

Risk Factors

• Origins of criminal behavior are complex• Result from a combination of risk factors– Biological and environmental factors

• Risk factors interact and aggravate one another

• The more risk factors present = higher likelihood of criminal behavior

Biological Level of Analysis

Biological Level of Analysis

• Various biological factors can contribute to criminality

• Factors such as:– Genetics– Brain abnormalities– Nuerochemical imbalances

Genetics

• Christiansen (1977) studied 3586 sets of Danish twins

• Found that there may be some genetic factors in criminal behavior…but concordance rates are very low

• Other factors may play a more important role

Limitation of Twin Studies

• Monozygotic twins are often treated more similarly than dizygotic twins are

Hutchins and Mednick Adoption Study

• 32.6% of sons had a criminal record w/ both a a biological and adoptive father with criminal records

• 21.4% if only his biological father had a criminal record

• 11.5% if only adopted father had record• Shows importance of environmental factors in

combination with genetic factors in determining behavior

Limitations of Adoption Studies

• Children are often placed in an environment that is similar to their original environment

• Some children adopted years after birth– No control of length of time with birth-family

Limitations of Genetic Arguments for Criminal Behavior

• The term “criminal behavior” itself– Crimes can range from murder to jaywalking to

tax evasion• A gene for “crime” probably doesn’t exist• Genetic theorists have a difficult time

explaining why criminal behavior tends to change over a lifespan– Peak criminal behavior at age 20– Decline after 30

The Brain

• Looks at interrelationship between emotions and decision making

• Emotions are controlled by the brain’s limbic system

• Decision making takes place in frontal lobe

Blair et al. (1999)

• Impairment of pathways between the amygdala and frontol lobe in the brain

• Makes it difficult to moderate emotional reactions– Effects how the individual interacts with others

• Never appropriately develops empathy or guilt

• Acts more impulsively

Frontal Brain Hypothesis

• Theory that a malfunctioning relationship between the frontal cortex and limbic system may cause criminal behavior

• Brain damage may cause behavioral problems– Antisocial behavior

• Hypothesis does not explain all criminal behavior

Neurotransmitters and Hormones

• Explains the significant gender difference in crime• In 2004:– 90.1% of murderers were male– 82.1% of violent criminals were male

• Low levels of serotonin have been linked to antisocial and impulsive behavior– Men generally have lower levels

• Often higher testosterone levels = more aggressive criminals

Biological Factors

• These factors alone are not enough to cause violence– With the exception of severe brain damage

• These factors must be combined with cognitive and social factors as well

Cognitive Level of Analysis

Yochelson and Samenow (1976)

• Criminal thinking has cognitive distortions (errors in thinking)– Blaming others for their own failures– Super-optimism (extremely unrealistic)– Unable to accept mistakes when proven wrong– Reducing/limiting significance of a behavior– Exaggerating accomplishments and abilities

Cornish and Clark (1987)

• Rational Choice Theory: Criminal behavior is the outcome of a reasoned decision-making process

• Assumes that criminals seek to benefit from the crimes they commit

• If benefits > costs, they carry out the crime

Bennett and Wright (1984)

• 3 factors affecting decision to commit crime:– Risk (chance of getting caught)– Financial reward– Ease of entry

• Supports the theory that a clear decision-making process underlies criminal activity

• Limitation: can’t ask successful burglars—only the ones who are caught!

Sociocultrual Level of Analysis

Sociocultural Level of Analysis

• Considers how society and culture affects our behavior

• Factors:– Social and cultural expectations– Economic and political realties that exist where

we live

Poverty

• Messner (1988): instead of focusing on differences in income, we need to look at structural poverty – Single-parent families, low levels of education,

high infant mortality rates, low social mobility

• Income levels alone does indicate crime

Unemployment

• Correlation between rates of unemployment and rates of crime– Unemployment can damage self-esteem– Feels that life is meaningless– Change in status– Boredom/free time!

Social factors + Biological factors

• Poverty brings higher stress on the mother of a developing child– Affects the fetus– Can impair brain function

Labels

• Self-fulfilling prophecy: When we are given a label we often live up to that expectation

• Jahoda (1954): Ashanti people feel day of the week a child is born on predicts temperament

• Wednesdays are supposed to be aggressive and problematic; Mondays are calm and peaceful– High number of arrests for boys born Wednesday– Low number for Monday

Three Levels Combined

• Biological factors may affect an individual’s thought process

• Thought processes may affect his/her social development

• Socio-economic status could have an effect on the health of an expectant mother, and thus the development of the child