To What Extent Does the Biological Approach Provide an Explanation of Criminal Behaviour
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When Considering whether the biological approach, which focuses on innate factors in an individual that may predispose them to behave in a certain way provides an adequate explanation to criminal behaviour It is first important to know the biological approach incorporates a number of different areas of research these include pathology, genes, hormones, gender and evolutionary explanations. A culmination of these areas leads to a strong explanation of criminal behaviour. For instance it has already be shown how influential biology is in determining or altering your behaviour by Gage who due to a construction accident suffered damage to his brain specifically his pre frontal lobes as a result his personality went under a radical change
Whether or not Gages personality change was down to the biological effects of his accident or the accident itself brings us onto our first debate towards the biological explanation for criminal behaviour. The nature vs. nurture argument, the nature side would suggest that criminal behaviour is a result of your biological makeup whereas nurture suggests you are only a product of your social environment in which you live. Caspi et als research is an excellent example of a study that is both biological and social in approach. Balancing the respective roles of nature and nurture in the development of the criminal personality. The interaction between nature (low MAOA) and nurture (Maltreatment of children) showed that these two factors in combination was a strong predictor of antisocial behaviour and criminality. Although Maltreatment as a child was the main predictor of anti social behaviour supporting the nurture side of the debate. There was also evidence to suggest MAOA deficiency lead to a higher chance of aggressive behaviour possibly explaining criminal behaviour.
The research by Caspi also shows reductionist nature of the biological approach as it only investigates one type of genotype relating to anti social behaviour. For example study only focuses on the Monoamine Oxidase A, a gene when trying to explain the biological link with antisocial behaviour whilst this does give us an in depth picture of MAOAs role in the body. The study can also be taken as holistic but it does little to support the explanation for criminal behaviour as solely biological. For example although the study is classified as biological Caspi never fails to emphasize the importance of environment in this case maltreatment as a child. The Study by Raine also stresses that violence is not determined by Biology alone as other factors such as social and situational one may also play a role in predisposing an individual to commit an act of crime. The argument which implies these studies are holistic as opposed to reductionist doesnt help the biological explanation of criminal behaviour suggesting it relies on social and situational factors.
However the Biological approach is with out doubt the most