1. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6- 1 Biological Roots of Criminal Behaviour Chapter 6

2. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -2 Biological Roots of Human Aggression Konrad Lorenz  Well-known for his work on aggression.  Adapted instinctive behaviour.  Crime results from: ► overcrowded living conditions, ► no legitimate way to express aggression.

3. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -3 Early Biological Theories ► Criminal Anthropology ► Phrenology ► The Positivist School

4. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -4 Criminal Anthropology The scientific study of the relationship between human physical characteristics and criminality. The scientific study of the relationship between human physical characteristics and criminality.

5. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -5 Phrenology Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828) ► Shape of human skull could predict criminality. ► The roots of personality are in the brain. ► Scientific understanding. ► Systematic evaluation.

6. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -6 The Positivist School Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909) ► Atavism ► Positivism ► Bodily features predictive of criminal behaviour.

7. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -7 Biological Roots of Criminal Behaviour ► Body Types ► Chemical and Environmental Precursors ► Hormones

8. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -8 Body Types Somatotyping Four basic body types:  Endomorph  Mesomorph  Ectomorph  Balanced type

9. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -9 Chemical and Environmental Precursors ► Blood sugar levels ► Allergies ► Vitamin deficiencies ► Environmental pollution

10. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -10 Hormones and Criminality ► Testosterone ► Serotonin  Premenstrual syndrome

11. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -11 Genetics and Crime ► Criminal Families ► XYY “Supermale” ► Twin Studies ► Adoption Studies ► Male-Female Differences ► Sociobiology

12. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -12 Criminal Families ► The Juke family ► The Kallikak family ► Eugenics

13. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -13 The XYY “Supermale” ► Taller than average. ► Acne or skin disorders. ► Low IQ. ► Over-represented in prisons and mental hospitals. ► Families with low history of crime or mental illness.

14. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -14 Twin Studies Karl Christiansen and Sarnoff Mednick 1968 ► Criminal tendencies are inherited. ► Monozygotic twins ► Dizygotic twins

15. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -15 Adoption Studies Examine genetic factors and environmental contributors. Mednick, Gabrielli and Hutchings ► Criminality is genetic.

16. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -16 Male-Female Differences ► Testosterone increases violence and aggression. ► Gap between male and female crime rates narrowing. ► Genetically based behavioural differences between males and females overshadowed by socialization.

17. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -17 Sociobiology ► Territoriality  Location  Possessions  Other people ► Intragroup violence ► Between group violence

18. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -18 Crime and Human Nature

19. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 6 -19 Policy Implications Biological theories of crime causation present unique challenges to policy makers. Sole dependence on the biological theories of crime may lead to:  abortion of defective fetuses;  capital punishment instead of rehabilitation; or  sterilization.