Biology and Crime

by Rowe, David C.; Farrington, David P.

• ISBN13: 9780195330090
• ISBN10: 0195330099
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-10-22
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Biology and Crime profiles biological approaches to understanding why some people are criminals and others not. Written by internationally recognized behavioral geneticist David C. Rowe, the book offers instructors and students a brief, contemporary presentation of biological approaches to crime with a minimum of jargon. (A background in the biological sciences is not required.) Boxes highlight special topics and examples drawn from newspaper stories to spark student interest. Chapters cover: * Behavioral genetics * Evolutionary approaches to crime * Biological tests for criminal disposition * The human genome and crime * The environment and crime * Ethical and policy implications This book will enrich students' appreciation of the nexus of biology and crime--without negating non-biological theories of crime.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Biology and Crime

Two Biological Perspectives on Crime

Levels of Biological Analysis

Environmental Influences

The Heritability of Criminal Disposition

Identical Twins and Crime

How to Interpret Heritability Coefficients

Inferring Genetic Influence on Behavioral Characteristics

Environmental Influences

Shared and Nonshared Environmental Influence

Estimating Genetic and Environmental Influences in Behavioral Genetic Research

Designs

Mednick's Classic Adoption Study of Crime

The Developmental Perspective

Psychiatric Disorders and Criminality

The Evolutionary Perspective on Crime

Perspectives on Human Behavior and Evolution

Sexual Selection and Sex Differences in Crime

Kin Selection and Crime

Individual Differences and Evolution

Evolutionary Theory of Biological Differences in Criminal Disposition

The Alternative Strategy Theories

Does the Body Tell? Biological Characteristics and Criminal Disposition

Finding the Physiological Basis of Criminal Disposition

Blood and Saliva Tests of Criminal Disposition

Serotonin Levels

Heart Rate Tests of Criminal Disposition

Skin Conductance Tests of Criminal Disposition

Tests of Brain Anatomy and Function

A Gene for Crime? Molecular Genetics and Criminal Disposition

An Introduction to Molecular Genetics

Variation at the Level of the Gene

Genes and the Determination of Behavioral Characteristics

Methods of Finding Genes Related to Behavioral Traits

Specific Genes Related to Criminal Disposition

The Dopamine Receptor (D4) GeneA Serotonin Gene

The MAOA Gene

Environmental Influences in Light of Genetic Findings

Peer Groups, Gangs, and Crime

Genotype x Environment Interactions

Historical Changes in Crime

Changing Crime Rates Without Affecting the Root Causes of Crime

Changing Crime Rates By Affecting the Root Causes of Crime

A Look Ahead: Implications for Criminal Justice Policy and Ethical Concerns

The Medical Model vs. the Criminal Justice Model

Using Biological Markers to Predict Future Characteristics

Predicting Criminal Disposition from Genetic Information

In the Name of Eugenics

Eugenic Policies and Criminal Disposition

Why the Criminal Justice System is Not Scientifically-Based

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