CJ 3400 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Canine Tooth, Biosocial Theory, Pleasure

• School: App State
• Department: Criminal Justice
• Course: CJ 3400
• Professor: Dr.Matthew Robinson

Document Summary

Study the cadavers of executed criminals in an effort to scientifically differentiate criminals from non-criminals. Convinced tat serious, violent offenders possessed inherent criminal traits. Viewed these offenders as born criminals and atavistic : throwbacks to more primitive times, enormous jaws, strong canine teeth, biosocial theory. Recently, criminologists have found links or relationship between traits and crime. Today, social and environmental factors coupled with biologic traits influence criminal behavior: can help researchers understand why not all types of individuals commit crime, trait theories. Perspective that criminality is the product of abnormal biological or psychological traits. People are motivated to be conventional and will conform unless there is an external pressure to push them towards crime. Human behavior, including crime, is genetically transmitted and shaped by environmental conditions: biology/crime link. Evolutionary: genes do not cause criminal behavior. Do sequence for the creation of hormones and neurotransmitters.