Will need a outline. Complete the outline after you have done library / Internet research for evidence that bears on your hypothesis. Provide information about all of the following components of the final paper: I have provided the final paper document and also the hypothesis document both these documents provided can help. I have uploaded also a outline as to how the outline needs to be set up. The final outline needs to look like the outline that I have provided.
CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR: AN INHERENT FACTOR
Andreas Groeger
Dr. Roderick Linzie
Sociology 100
January 24, 2015
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Running header: CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR
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Criminal Behavior: An Inherent Aspect
In the realm of sociology and psychology the concept of criminal behavior has always
encompassed myriads of discussions, debates, arguments, and theories. Criminal behavior is
also a concept and topic of discussion which needs to be analyzed more and more to
ultimately reach a conclusion that is valid and appropriate in pointing out the true source of
criminal behaviors. Innumerable number of scientific studies has been conducted on the topic
of criminal behavior and still such studies are going on primarily to determine how and why
some people are prone to committing criminal acts while others are not. For some
researchers, criminal behavior is inherited while some other researchers, it is a phenomenon
induced and influenced not by gene but by social circumstances. But even though a number
of studies have revealed the link between criminal behaviors and social influences, still now
it is admitted by the majority of researchers that criminal behaviors are mainly attributes of
genetic factors and hence, criminal behavior is an inherited aspect.
It has been a long held belief that human beings are born with a mind that can be
compared with a blank slate. Some modern philosophers, psychologists, and sociologists, too
think that human beings are actually born devoid of any sort of disposition towards any genre
of immoral, unethical, criminal, or violent behavior and they also do believe that it is in the
course of physical and psychological development that external factors (including social,
economic, and political factors) start influencing the behavior of an individual determining
his/her future dispositions, either of sane or criminal nature. Innumerable psychologists still
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believe that addiction and criminal behavior are actually psychological and not hereditary
problem and that these aspects are curable. But the failure on the part of most psychologists
in ultimately treating disorders like addiction and proneness to criminal acts actually acts as a
pointer to the validity of the view which states that criminal behavior is intrinsic or inherent
and not only the outcome of external influences.
Some recent studies on the origin of criminal behaviors suggest that criminal behavior
is an innate aspect and is surely an outcome of genetic built up and hereditary influences. As
a matter of fact A study of young men and women who had been adopted as children found
they were up to four and a half more times to have been in trouble with the police if one of
their natural parents had a criminal record (Is a life of crime hereditary? New research
suggests that criminal behaviour could be all in the genes, 2010). Modern studies have
revealed the fact that a genre of genes called candidate genes might have a role to play in
infusing criminality within an individual. According to medical science a candidate gene is
any such gene which has the potential to cause any sort of disease and The gene may be
candidate because it is located in a particular chromosome region suspected of being involved
in the disease or its protein product may suggest that it could be the disease gene in question
(Definition of Candidate gene, 2012).
In this respect it must be said that if criminal behavior can be considered as an ailment
then the role of candidate genes in instigating such ailment must be emphasized. It must be
noted that the relation between the functioning of candidate genes and criminal behaviors has
already been proved by association studies which mainly examine and determine whether
one variant of a candidate gene occurs more often in individuals who display antisocial
behavior than in some comparison group (Morley & Hall, 2003, p. 3). The fact that criminal
behaviors are instigated for some intrinsic reasons can also be proved by citing the
dysfunctions in the serotonergic pathway which is primarily involved in the process of brain
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development. It has been found that any malfunctioning of the genes involved in this pathway
can lead to increased aggressiveness and impulsivity and this ultimately can lead to criminal
and violent behaviors (Morley & Hall, 2003, p. 3). But it must be noted that no single study
has been able to establish a definite relationship between a single genre of genes with
criminal behaviors and that is the reason why innumerable criminal behaviors are likely to
be influenced by the interaction of multiple genes. Each genetic variant that influences
antisocial behavior will only have only a small impact on an individuals overall
predisposition to such behavior (Morley & Hall, 2003, p. 4).
While trying to establish the relationship between inherent factors like
genetic/hereditary and criminal behaviors, the theory of Terrie E. Moffitt must be cited as this
researcher has emphasized specifically to reveal and establish the interplay between nature
and nurture in the sphere of the origin of criminal behaviors. It is noteworthy that Dr. Moffitt
has identified three groups or pathways which is prevalent among the general population and
these three pathways can be identified as life-course persistent offenders, adolescent-limited
offenders and those who are abstainers, and according to Dr. Moffitt environmental,
biological and, perhaps, genetic factors could cause a person to fall into one of the paths
(Criminologists Research Shows Genes Influence Criminal Behavior, 2012). Now,
drawing from the theory derived by Dr. Moffitt, another researcher, UT Dallas criminologist
Dr. J.C. Barnes and his co-researchers conducted a study which concluded that in the case of
life-course persistent offenders genetic influences played more havoc than its environmental
counterparts and in the case of abstainers both genetic and environmental factors played an
equal role; and in case of the adolescent-limited offenders, it is the environmental factors
which did show to be the prominent factor (Criminologists Research Shows Genes
Influence Criminal Behavior, 2012). So, it can be seen that myriads of studies have revealed
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how criminal behaviors, and especially, long-term persistent criminal behaviors and attributes
are indebted to genetic factors.
In conclusion, though a number of studies have revealed the link between criminal
behaviors and social influences, still now it is admitted by the majority of researchers that
criminal behaviors are mainly attributes of genetic factors and hence, criminal behavior is an
inherited aspect.
References
Criminologists Research Shows Genes Influence Criminal Behavior (2012). The University
of Texas at Dallas. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from
http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2012/1/24-15201_Criminologists-Research-ShowsGenes-Influence-Crim_article-wide.html
Definition of Candidate gene (n.d.). MedicineNet.com. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=13571
Is a life of crime hereditary? New research suggests that criminal behavior could be all in
the genes (2010). Mail Online. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1332927/New-research-suggestscriminal-behaviour-genes.html
Morley, K.I, & Hall, W.D. (2003). Is There a Genetic Susceptibility to Engage in Criminal
Acts? Australian Institute of Criminology, pp. 1-6. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from
http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/D/F/6/%7BDF6E8A24-2633-4946-A00D4E42A1DB8C91%7Dtandi263.pdf
