Читать книгу Criminology For Dummies - Steven Briggs - Страница 25

It’s increasingly clear that genetics, diet, brain chemistry, and even the environment can play a role in causing a person to commit crime.

Adoption studies have confirmed a genetic link between criminal parents and criminal conduct by their offspring. But these same studies also show that the environment created by the parents raising the children has an impact on the children’s criminal conduct. Thus, criminologists recognize that genetics are just part of the picture.

Other studies have shown that a poor diet can lead to learning disabilities, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and depression, all of which are linked to greater potential for criminal behavior.

And, of course, personality disorders and mental illnesses may create a greater likelihood of criminal behavior. For example, a large percentage of people in prison have an antisocial personality disorder, which generally means they’ve engaged in a pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others.