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Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and the mind, including conscious and un-
conscious feelings and thoughts. Psychologists are professionals who study mental processes,
brain functions, and behavior. Criminal behavior is an antisocial act that puts an individual at risk
of involvement with the criminal justice system (Bonta & Andrews, 2017). Criminal behavior,
like other behaviors, begins with cognitions. Understanding criminal behavior would be impossi-
ble without considering the psychological processes involved. Psychologists seek to understand
crime as a behavior that is learned through social and environmental circumstances while some
believe in a biological predisposition to criminality. Together, biological, psychological, and so-
cio-environmental theories of criminal behavior paint a far clearer picture of how to prevent and
treat criminal behaviors in the population.
Biopsychosocial Model
Twin studies indicate there is a biological component to criminality (Hickey, 2021). A
1993 study concluded that identical twins consistently share a higher rate of criminality than
twins who do not share identical DNA. Adoption studies are also an interesting look into how
criminal behavior may be genetically linked. Even when children of criminals are raised in a
non-criminal household, they show higher rates of criminality than children of non-criminal bio-
logical parents. While there is evidence that indicates a genetic component to criminal behavior,
researchers have not been able to pinpoint a specific gene to identify vulnerable populations.
There are several psychological aspects that interact with an individual’s probability of criminal
behavior. Coping skills, social skills, self-esteem, and metal illness can all influence the ability to
abstain from criminality. Social factors like family relationships and peers who engage in crimi-
nal behaviors can increase the likelihood of an individual committing a criminal act due to mod-
eling those behaviors (Bonta & Andrews, 2017).
Personal Position
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I do not believe that one single psychological factor is responsible for criminal behavior.
Rather it is the complex exchange between biological, psychological, and socio-environmental
vulnerabilities that causes criminality. I was raised in a home where drug use and criminal behav-
iors were the norm. I was the youngest of four children and the only one to ever have an interest
in mental health. Since we all shared similar genetics and the same environment, we should have
taken similar paths in life, right? Unfortunately, my middle sister has struggled with drugs her
entire life and is now undergoing treatment for cancer. My brother continues his battle with sub-
stance abuse and has a long list of criminal offenses including being registered as a sex offender.
My oldest sister and I went to college, married good men, and started a quiet family while never
experiencing the desire to use substances. I’ve contemplated why this happened for many years
and at first, I believed it was due to personality. My oldest sister and I simply had a more re-
silient type of personality and were more able to overcome the obstacles of our childhood while
my brother and middle sister were not. But as I get older, I start to realize even though we grew
up in the same environment, our experiences were vastly different. My brother, for instance, was
the only boy and so he was treated more like a friend than a son. He could be trusted more than
the girls. He could party with his parents and it wouldn’t affect his future. Not only was he given
more freedom, he was also given more leniency when it came to grades and mistakes. I believe
the environment my brother enjoyed as a young man was detrimental to his future. The behaviors
he modeled sent him down a very dark path. My middle sister on the other hand was treated as if
she were a delicate vase that may break if looked at incorrectly. She was sheltered and in a very
real way, she was groomed to be incapable and subservient to men. My oldest sister and I some-
how understood the ugliness that our home held and we escaped as soon as we were able to, but
not without scars.
Future Understanding
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There are intricacies of my own experiences that I still fail to understand. As I continue to
struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, I often worry how my genetics may affect my sons.
It has taken me years to accept that my genes are not “dirty”, and I have the ability to break gen-
erational cycles. God bestowed humanity with free will and I wake up every day making the
choice to show my children how to face life’s challenges with grace and dignity. My goal every
day is to learn more about the psychological processes that contribute to criminal behavior so
that I can take steps to prevent my sons from following my brother’s path. This interest began
within my own family but the desire extends beyond just them. I am empathetic to people who
become criminals after modeling the behaviors of their family. I want to be able to work with at
risk youth and show them a better way to live so that they can begin to break their own genera-
tional cycles. I believe the Holy Spirit has led me out of darkness so that I may lead others to
Him. The field of psychology has so much to offer towards the deeper understanding of criminal
behavior and once a behavior is understood, it can be altered. I am so grateful for the opportunity
to learn more everyday about how our biology, psychology, and socio-environmental factors in-
teract to encourage or discourage criminal behavior.
References
Bonta, J., & Andrews, D. A. (2017). The Psychology of Criminal Conduct. (6th ed.) Routledge.
Hickey, T. (Ed). (2021). Psychology of Criminal Behavior. McGraw-Hill.
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