The Makings of a Criminal

One further reason to argue for an integrative approach lies in the fact that the distinction between nature and nurture itself is relatively artificial. Consider that environmental factors can influence criminal behaviour by increasing the number of infants born with genetic inconsistencies such as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) which itself directly influences people’s potential for crime. Excessive binge drinking in a pregnant mother can induce this on a child prenatally. Thus the distinction is itself nebulous.

Ultimately, the only fair conclusion to reach is that criminals are most certainly not born to commit crimes. At least, not in the inordinately general sense that the question implies. Of course, there will be the rare case were a criminal is born with such a predisposition that he will most likely end up committing a crime. However, these cases deviate far from the norms and thus constitute only an infinitesimal proportion of all crime. Indeed, the view provided by the question is something of an anachronism. It is the accepted orthodoxy of the early years of criminology, now considered hugely inaccurate. It seems a far more reasonable conclusion to draw that the majority of criminals are not genetically predisposed to crime but instead act outwith the bounds of normal social conduct because of their economic or social status. As for the minority that are genetically predisposed to criminal activity, that carry from birth a latent propensity for crime, it should be recognised that even they must have their potential triggered by extraordinary social factors, if it is to be cultivated. Such is the true extent of the involvement of biology in mainstream criminology.

1 Animal Species and Evolution (1963) by Ernest Mayr

2 Cesare Lombroso (1836/1909)

3 Criminological Theory: Crime and Consequences (2002) by Lilly et al.

4 On Criminal Man (1876) by Cesare Lombroso

5 Criminological Theory: Crime and Consequences (2002) by Lilly et al.

6On Criminal Man (1876) by Cesare Lombroso

7 Ibid.

8 Applying Psychology to crime (1998) by J. Harrower

9 William Sheldon (1898/1977)

10 Physique and Delinquency (1956) by Glueck and Glueck

11 Delinquency and Crime: a Biopsychosocial Approach (1972) by Cortes and Gatti

12 Crime in Biological, Social and Moral Contexts (1990) by D.C. Rowe

13 Science (1976) by Witkin et al.

14 A Mind to Crime (1995) by A. Moir and D. Jessel

15 A Treatise on Man and the development of his faculties (1969) by R. A. J. Quetelet

16 Criminality: Personality, Behaviour, Life History (1990) by D.P. Farrington and D.J. West

17 Physique and Delinquency (1956) by Glueck and Glueck

18 Adolescent Aggression (1959) by A. Bandura and R.H. Walters

19 Such studies includes Glueck and Glueck, 1956; Bandura and Walters, 1959; McCord, 1979

20 Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (1971) by M. Rutter

21Moral Behaviour and Development: Advances in Theory, Research and Applications (1984) by M.L. Hoffman

22 Ibid.

23 Ibid.

24 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (1979) by J. McCord

25 Applying Psychology to crime (1998) by J. Harrower

26 Ibid.

27 Law and Order Review 1993: an Audit of Crime, Policing, and Criminal Justice Issues (1994) by J. Benyan

28 Criminality: Personality, Behaviour, Life History (1990) by D.P. Farrington and D.J. West

29 Robert K. Merton (1910/2003)

30 Criminological Theory: Crime and Consequences (2002) by Lilly et al.

31 Theoretical Criminology (1997) by Elliot Currie

32 British Journal of Criminology (1979) by S.G. Osborn and D.J. West

33 Psychologist (1991) by D.P. Farrington

34 Genetic Criminology (1996) by P.A. Brennan et al.

35 Archives of General Psychiatry (1974) by R.R. Crowe

36 The Causes of Crime (1987) by S.A. Mednick et al.

37 Criminology (1992) by G.D. Walters

38 Ibid.

39 Genetics of Criminal and Antisocial Behaviour (1952) by M. Bohman

40 Journal of Communication (1996) by N. Malamuth

41 Ibid.