Does a Criminal Gene Exist?
by Why are some people aggressive and others are calm?
Looking for a biological source or reason for crime is not new; it is even very old as Jim Wilson says:
It is a question as old as Cain and Abel: Are some kids simply born bad?
The Italian physician Lombroso tries to draw a line between the criminals and non-criminals by describing their physical features. He even argues that criminals are of deferent genetic type of non-criminals.
Lombroso’s ideas may not find a good market nowadays but the question of a genetic reason for crime remains and even gets more controversial and subject of debate in recent years.
Why some people commit crime others not? Why we find more people with genetic abnormalities among prison populations? What is the reason behind the delinquency of young people who were subject to abuse during childhood? These questions and others make people to think about different motives behind criminality, genetic reason may be one of them.
If criminals are born criminals then others should not commit crime! If not, why some people are aggressive and cruel from childhood and others are not?
This short essay tries to examine these questions in order to find some answers for them.
Criminal Genes: Between Myth and Reality
Criminals were looked upon as bad creatures and even were killed in public, before invention of the new justice systems and prisons. They thought that bad souls are pushing them for crime and we should make the society free from these demons as soon as possible. They even thought, as Williams says:
Crime was a sickness or illness which afflicted individual criminals, and was the result of some biological dysfunction or disorder.
The new systems of justice, probation and prisons do not prevent scientists from looking for a reason for criminality:
During research by biologists in the 1960s, a number of genetic abnormalities were found in the cells of humans.
It is obvious that female chromosomes are XX and male chromosomes are XY, but what were strange for those biologists were males with an extra male chromosome that is XYY.
Males are traditionally connected with violence and aggression, and finding people with double male chromosomes may suggest “twice as violent and aggressive as the average male,”
However it can be argued that violence and aggression are associated to the males by society more than genetically, as Williams explains in his study:
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Post Comments hayes
On June 25, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Another interesting and well written article.
I agree that although the information regarding the extra chromosome could not be practically useful – as it could label those who have the gene at an early age and result in a self fulfilling prophesy. I am predisposed to criminal tendancies therefore I will commit crime – nor does it take into account any of the other of the many environmental variables which may lead to a life of crime. Have you seen Minority Report!
More experimental research in this area however, in an attempt to produce more sophisticated biological testing would be an step forward.
In the case of eg Joseph Fritzl – His crimes were so extreme, it could be argued that he had to have been mad to commit them.
In the absence of any biological test to be able to determine madness from evil – how on earth does anyone decide how to administer justice.
Hein Marais
On June 25, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Very Good Article. Well written.
qmuser
On August 4, 2008 at 7:58 am
It would be interesting to see if genetic aggressiveness traits also make an individual more likely to become a top athlete, business leader, military leader, or excel in some other manner.
Perhaps if children are identified as having these aggressive tendencies, the parents should be advised to encourage the child to channel that into on of these beneficial outlets.
steve
On September 30, 2008 at 9:58 am
Define crime!
well-duh
On January 31, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Society definitions rule over science results. All people are equal. No behavior is criminal — except an attempt to alter another’s behavior.
These guys are very near getting cahrged with hate speech.
isme
On January 31, 2009 at 6:56 pm
According to all the best minds in the Union of Concerned Scientists, PETA and other ecologically aware groups –
So-called “Criminal Behavior” is actually a pro-survival species instinct triggered by over-population. Criminal Behavior is a self-correcting population control mechanism.
Based on size and ecological niche the maximum safe number of humans on earth in the long term is only 80 million not 8 billion. No city should be larger than 80 people.
If you disagree present rebuttal proof.
Sarah
On November 20, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Hi
I would like to reference this for an essay, could you possibly let me know your name so I can do so?
lei
On December 7, 2009 at 10:08 pm
ok