Violence and Victimization: Causes and Consequences, Essay Example

In his book The Anatomy of Violence, criminologist Adrian Raine puts forth the proposition that violence and violent behavior is mostly due to biology or in this case, genetics and heredity. Raine’s hypothesis is based on what he calls neurocriminality, a relatively new area of scientific research that utilizes brain imaging, such as with a CAT scan, to study the brains of individuals prone to violence and violent behavior, being mostly murderers, violent criminals, and psychopaths. In a recent interview with National Public Radio, Raine pointed out that his research “has convinced him that while there is a social and environmental element to violent behavior, there’s another side of the coin, and that side is biology” (2013).

Raine also provides a somewhat startling idea related to violence and biology– “Simply put, if bad brains do cause bad behavior, if brain dysfunction raises the odds that somebody will become a criminal offender. . . and if the causes of the brain dysfunction come relatively early in life, should we fully hold that adult individual responsible?” (2013). Certainly, if Raine’s suggestion that violent behavior is closely linked to some sort of brain dysfunction, perhaps caused by a genetic defect, is accurate, then the legal system will face some new challenges related to criminal responsibility and who or what is to blame for violent behavior.

From a personal standpoint, I have long believed that certain individuals act and behave as they do concerning violent behavior because their brains are wired wrong, meaning that the connections within the brain have somehow become mismatched through a genetic error. This is much like some of the theories concerning alcoholism in which many researchers and scientists believe that with some individuals, a chemical or neurological switch is turned on when they take that first drink, thus resulting in a lifelong addiction to alcohol and certain types of drugs like cocaine and heroin. Although this idea cannot be substantiated by current research, I feel that in the near future, geneticists will be able to locate such a defective gene via a program called the Human Genome Project.

The biological basis for human violence is also supported by clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Firestone who notes that “after years of researching, interviewing, and assessing violent individuals. . . I began to recognize certain “voices” or negative thought processes, that flood the minds” of violent individuals, thus influencing them to engage in acts of violence (2011). This I feel is directly related to the defective wiring within the human brain which through “wrong” electrical and chemical connections causes these negative thought processes. Firestone adds that these “voices” are not hallucinations but are “systematic patterns of negative thoughts against” oneself and others or the victims of violent behavior (2011).

Therefore, if the hypotheses of Raine and Firestone are true and accurate, then not a whole lot can be done to correct it. But perhaps at some point in the future, scientists and geneticists will be able to figure out a way to alter or remove defective genes that cause violent behavior and Firestone’s “voices,” thus eliminating the consequences of violent behavior and the deaths of so many people as victims. If this could be accomplished, it would be best to intervene biologically when an individual is still an infant, thus changing the course of his/her life as a violent person or criminal. The benefits to society as a whole are quite obvious. As Firestone sums it up, “understanding what is going on in the mind of someone who is violent allows us to better assess the risk for violence and to intervene, protecting both the potential perpetrator and the victim” (2011).

References

Firestone, L. (2011). The inner voices behind violent behavior. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/compassion-matters/201103/the-inner-voices-behind-violent-behavior

Raine, A. (2013). The anatomy of violence: The biological roots of crime. New York: Pantheon Books.