3.5: Biological Theories

Biological Theories

If you have ever used a medicine, that is a form of tacit admission that some of our behavior does have a physical basis. There are three areas of Biology that have produced findings which may be quite relevant for explaining criminal behavior. One area is biochemical. Individuals in this area have shown how diet can influence behavior. These findings were behind the establishment of breakfast and lunch programs for all students in the public schools as adequate nutrition helps with knowledge retention. If you have ever observed children consume a lot of sugar or caffeine you probably saw the change in their behavior. If you have seen adults consume alcohol or other mind altering drugs you have probably seen changes in behavior as well. One of the intriguing aspects still under study is why people react differently when they are exposed to certain substances. Alcohol for instance, may trigger violence in some people yet it may trigger sadness in others. While alcohol does not excuse bad behavior or crime it is involved in many instances. Speaking of biochemicals not excusing behavior perhaps you have heard of the so-called “Twinkie defense” wherein the defense of the murderer was partly based on the explanation that that he consumed a box of Twinkies and drank Coca-Cola which caused his depression to worsen and his behavior to be erratic. While this defense did not excuse his behavior it may have been part of the reason why the charges were lessened from homicide to voluntary manslaughter.

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Neurological

Another sub area under biological theories is an examination of neurological processes. Basically, the study of brain activity linked with behavior. There have been noteworthy cases over the years where specific brain injuries or tumors have changed one’s behavior often for the worse but sometimes for the better. For instance, in 1848 there was an individual by the name of Phineas Gage who had an iron rod go through part of his skull. While he survived, his behavior changed and he became easily angered. In other examples where the brain is injured such as after a stroke at times the injury may trigger unique capabilities that the individual did not display before. Capabilities such as being able to draw, or play the piano, to such a high quality that the individuals are considered to be Savant—someone with remarkable skills.

While studies continue to understand the ways that the brain influences our behavior is highly recommended that individuals take precautions to protect their brains. For instance the wearing of helmets while riding a bike or during sports seems like a wise precaution. There are some preliminary studies which are examining the effects of mild damage to the brain over repeated instances. In particular the scientists are trying to understand the possible effects of repeated instances of physical child abuse and how mild injuries to the brain may trigger violent behavior and the tendency to abuse their children when they are adults, thus continuing the cycle of violence.

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Genetic

Our last sub area under biological theories focuses on genetics and the role of heredity. It is interesting to question how much of who we are is a matter of things we have learned or choices and how much is a result of our biology. For instance, you probably have a favorite color which you think you chose. Some studies particularly those focusing on twins would argue otherwise. Often twins even those that were raised separately have similar likes and dislikes about colors, foods, and even other people that they have as friends or marry. There have been numerous studies of twins both identical twins as well as fraternal twins but the great debate about whether much of our behavior is something that is learned or inherited has not yet been definitively answered.

Another example of advancement in genetic studies was the discovery of the extra Y chromosome. Typically, males have 46 chromosomes including one X and one Y but occasionally there are males that have 47 chromosomes 2 of which are Y chromosomes. One of the early studies mistakenly concluded that males with the extra Y were particularly violent and it was suggested that newborn males should be tested for the extra Y chromosome and possibly institutionalized to prevent violence. Fortunately other scientists quickly pointed out that not all males with the extra Y chromosome were violent or in need of institutionalization.

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While we have not yet found the “crime gene”, if such a discovery was ever made do you think it would be fair to test infants and lock people up because they had such a gene before they even showed a tendency to commit crime? This ethical question is the main premise in many science fiction novels and movies about how we will fight crime in the future. As published in April 2003, the entire human genome has been mapped and identified. As the final report pointed out, we now need to think about the ethical, legal, and social implications of this newfound genetic knowledge. While no crime gene was found our understanding of how certain genes may play into a willingness to use violence or commit crime is just beginning.