Genetic Factors in Violent Criminal Behavior

Genetic Factors in Violent Criminal Behavior

Zak Werner

COM/156-Unversity Composition and Communication II

Are we as human beings capable of truly changing or controlling our behaviors and psychosocial thought processes, or are we purely at the mercy of our genetic code? Humanity has wondered, and argued about what causes the violent side of our nature since we became intelligent enough to comprehend it. A multitude and combination of factors, including genetic and environmental, have an effect on the psychology, pathology and behavior of violent criminals.

When most people refer to “human nature”, they are usually not referencing our capacity for creativity and compassion. This “nature” typically refers to the negative aspects of humanity such as violence. Violence; whether it is committed as an act of survival or not, has been a part of our makeup since our ancestors first wielded clubs against saber-toothed cats and wooly mammoths. Human beings have arguably become less violent by nature as time and evolution have progressed, but nevertheless, the remnants of our hunter-gatherer beginnings is still evident today.

Marcus Aurelius said that “poverty is the mother of crime”. Poverty and economic factors would obviously be more responsible for certain crimes such as robbery, assault, and even in some cases, murder. Certain crimes committed in poverty-stricken areas could be seen more as a necessity, for example, a robbery could be seen as a crime of necessity for some. Crime levels in wealthier areas committed by successful, affluent individuals could also be understandable since successful individuals often display narcissistic and sociopathic tendencies. Different crimes have different motivations behind them. The motivation for an individual, who robs another...