Theories of Offending: The Neural Explanation - Forensic Psychology

Neural explanations

Serotonin has been suggested to have a role in offending behaviour. Serotonin is widely believed to regulate mood and impulse control and thus, low levels can lead to more impulsive behaviour – which may be linked to criminal behaviour.

Moir and Jessel (1995) reviewed a number of human and animal studies and suggested that there’s a link between low levels of serotonin and aggression (which is linked to criminal behaviour).

Scerbo and Raine (1993) conducted a meta-analysis of 29 pieces of research into anti-social adults and children and found, in all cases, low levels of serotonin.

In addition to serotonin, studies using EEG’s of brain activity showed that people with antisocial personality disorder had abnormal EEG patterns of slow-wave activities – suggesting that reduced activity in areas of the brain may be linked to offending behaviour.

Raine et al (1997) found that a group of 41 murderers (who pleaded not guilty, by reason of insanity) showed reduced activity in areas of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex and the corpus callosum (the nerve fibres responsible for swift communication between the hemispheres). This therefore supports a biological explanation for offending behaviour.

However, such biochemical explanations are reductionist and are viewed as trying to simplify criminal behaviour, when, in fact, crime is complex and people turn to crime for various reasons – all which are unaccounted for under these explanations. So, whilst these theories can explain offending behaviour in many people, it cannot explain it for all criminals and therefore it potentially lacks credibility as an explanation.

Additionally, such explanations often centre around violent and aggressive behaviour and therefore it does not provide an explanation for all crimes (eg. less aggressive crimes like theft or drug dealing), which further supports the argument that it is too simplistic.

Furthermore, this is a strongly biological determinism view – believing that criminals act in the way they do due to their genes. However, this carries major implications for, specifically, the legal system as it can lead to problems during sentencing – where does the responsibility lie for someone who has committed an offense if they are unable to control their biology?