Essay - Psychosocial Aspects of Criminal Behavior Criminality is a Multifaceted Issue...

Psychosocial Aspects of Criminal Behavior

********** is a multifaceted issue that is influenced by the presence or absence of several factors. The nature of these factors varies from biological and psychological *****, to social ***** environmental factors. As a multidimensional construct, criminality cannot be fully understood through the use ***** one perspective exclusively. As a complex *****, ***** requires attention to various perspectives in order to gain a comprehensive underst*****nding of ***** causes and prevalence of criminal behavior. The factors that influence criminal ***** can loosely be grouped into three categories, including biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Thorough investigation ***** these three types of factors may yield insight into the causes and *****sues involved in criminal behavior.

Historically, possible biological factors involved in ***** behavior received much attention. Hereditarian claims in ***** United States between 1900 ***** 1940 argued that violent and criminal behavior had a strong genetic or neurogenetic basis (Allen, 2001). For example, Hooton claimed that, as a class, criminals possess distinct anthropometric characteristics, which included smaller body size, ectomorphic (lanky, thin) ***** build, straight hair, mottled eye color, shorter ***** broader noses, flatter ears, and a lower and more sloping forehead. ***** also claimed that categories ***** ***** can be distinguished ***** anthropometric features. For instance, he claimed ***** murderers and robbers tend to be tall and thin, w*****reas killers, forgerers ***** conmen tend to be tall and heavy. Burglars, on the other hand, were claimed to be small and thin, while rapists and other sex offenders are short and heavy. Furthermore, Hooton ***** claimed that Ameri*****-born and nine different ethnic or racial stocks differ significantly from each ***** in physical characteristics and the types of crimes they commit. ***** based his ***** on inferior biology, in that the degree ***** type of *****feriority disposed one to *****, while the environment called them forth. Of course, these claims hold no merit under the scientific scrutiny used according ***** today's standards, and *****re is an understanding that such false claims ***** on ***** and racial characteristics are dangerous in their possible implications. However, biology has been found to play a role in crimin*****lity ***** certain extents.

Lee & Coccaro (2001) investigated the neuropharmacological *****s ***** in criminality ***** aggression. These researchers suggested that impulsive aggression has a role in both criminal and non-criminal behavior, and that an ***** crime is essentially not synonymous with a premeditated one. They also suggested ***** impulsive aggression probably ***** a signific*****nt genetic, heritable component, although a single gene for ********** has not ***** found. It ***** possible that future research may find a polymorphism or combination ***** genes that contribute to the expression of an impulsive-aggressive phe*****ype.

***** & Coccaro (*****) also discussed the role ***** deficient serotonergic function in behavioural dis*****hibition and the expression of impulsive aggression. This role has been demonstrated through the reduced levels ***** CSF 5-HIAA that have been associated ***** violent criminality. Furthermore, the serotonergic system is also very responsive to *****al fac*****rs, particularly early disruptions in