Discussion: Biology and Criminal Responsibility

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 To what degree do genetic and biological factors lessen or exempt a criminal offender’s responsibility?

 Should some genetic and/or biological factors qualify offenders for lighter sentences compared to other genetic and/or biological factors? Why or why not?

 Are red flag laws sufficient for preventing violent crime? Why or why not?  To what degree are red flag laws constitutional?

Week Four Discussion: Biology and Criminal Responsibility

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 Behavior genetics: examines the role that genes play in human and animal behavior’s design and growth. In deciding individual differences in behavior, it is the branch of biology that examines the interaction between genes and the environment (Bartol & Bartol, 2017).

Genetic and/or Biological Factors with Criminal Responsibility

Research has shown that criminality is strongly correlated with low arousal levels in the brain. Criminal behavior can be linked to certain chemicals the brain produces, for example dopamine, serotonin, and monoamine oxidase (MAO), and that may play a part in the genetic influence of how someone behaves (Jones, n.d.). How genes and the environment influence criminal behavior is explained by how the social and legal institutions define it. They state that the stimulation of behavioral patterns and tendencies is caused by neurochemicals in areas of the brain (Bartol & Bartol, 2017). One example of this is that mutation in the monoamine oxidase a structural gene gives rise to an acute build-up of neurotransmitters linked to the 'fight or flight' responses of the body to stressful circumstances (Wilson. 2011).

Genetic and/or Biological Factors and Lighter Sentencing

I do not think that these unbalanced chemicals in the brain should call for a lighter sentence for a criminal case. Just because criminals tend to have these imbalances in chemicals in their brains does not mean they did not commit the crime. Someone who has extensive brain damage or is schizophrenic is different than someone whose brain produces too much monoamine oxidase. Regardless of the reasons for the chemical imbalance (e.g., genetics), they still know right from wrong. They just chose to not correct the problem that may or may not contribute to their criminal actions. Like Virginia Hughes points out in the article in National Geographic (2014), throughout the years there have been many theories about why or how someone’s genes contribute to criminal behavior. But there are just that theories with the odds of criminal behavior are like one in a three billion chance of likelihood.

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References

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2017). Criminal behavior: A psychological approach (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Hughes, V. (2014, June 04. My DNA made me do it? How behavioral genetics is influencing the justice system. In National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2014/06/04/my-dna-made- me-do-it-how-behavioral-genetics-is-influencing-the-justice-system/ Jones, C., M. (n.d.). Genetic and environmental influences on criminal behavior. http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/jones.html Wilson, J., W. (2011). Debating genetics as a predictor of criminal offending and sentencing. Retrieved from http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/593/debating- genetics-as-a-predictor-of-criminal-offending-and-sentencing