Identify the development of modern biological theories of crime related to family studies, adoption studies, and twin studies (both twins raised together and twins raised separately). When did these studies emerge? What led to the development of such theories? What were the key findings of each type of study? What were the criticisms of such studies?
What will be an ideal response?
Answers should address the origin of modern biological studies as emerging in the
20th century as a result of advances in science that made it possible to do more than
merely examining biological factors. These studies were criticized for failing to parse out
the effects of the environment and the effects of biology. Family studies examined
families that were observed to have a high number of criminal members (e.g., the
Jukes). Goddard studied the line of legitimate and illegitimate sons of Martin Kallikak,
finding that being an illegitimate son was associated with criminality. Others argued that
it was more due to environment. Twin studies compared the concordance rates in
criminality among fraternal and identical twins. Such studies show higher rates of
concordance among identical twins as are present with fraternal twins, but others
criticize that the similarities may be due to identical twins being exposed to much more
similar environments. Adoption studies compare the relative influences of biological and
adoptive parents on their offsprings’ criminal offending. Adoption studies suggest that
biology may play an important part in determining one’s criminality, but also support an
environmental influence as well. Some criticize such studies because children are
usually placed with adoptive parents who are similar to biological parents. Studies of
twins separated at birth are much more able to separate the effects of environment from
the biological effects. Most of these studies show a relatively high level of concordance
between twins despite being raised separately. The findings from twin studies seem to
suggest that there is a biological component that is separable from the environmental
influence.
You might also like to view...
Increasing caseloads associated with drug evidence have provided the major justification for the expansion of forensic laboratory services
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
The inner area of a crime scene is also known as the:
a. Fringe b. Marginal c. Peripheral d. Bordering
The FBI's National Computer Crime Squad lists its responsibilities as covering all of the following EXCEPT:
a. pirated computer software. b. major computer network intrusions. c. industrial espionage. d. network integrity violations. e. telebank thefts.
Crimes perpetrated by state authorities against the people they are supposed to serve are referred to as state political crimes
Indicate whether the statement is true or false