Table Of ContentThe AshgATe ReseARch comp Anion To
BiosociAl TheoRies of cRime
What I love about the field of Criminology is that insofar as theories are concerned,
Criminology welcomes all comers with open arms, while insofar as empirical methodology is
concerned, Criminology never strays from its singular devotion to a standard of excellence.
This exciting new book edited by Beaver and Walsh is quintessentially Criminology. It
marries innovative bio-social theory of crime with rigorous empirical science…and somehow
manages to make it all very readable. Anyone who wishes to be a contemporary criminologist
must make themselves familiar with the content of this new book. Any criminologist who
does not read this book is by definition falling behind the times.
Terrie E. Moffitt, Duke University, USA and King’s College London, UK
This is the most impressive, comprehensive, and informative review of research on biological
contributions to criminology. It should be required reading for all criminologists who are
interested in understanding and explaining criminal behaviour.
David P. Farrington, Cambridge University, UK
ASHGATE
RESEARCH
COMPANION
The Ashgate Research Companions are designed to offer scholars and graduate
students a comprehensive and authoritative state-of-the-art review of current
research in a particular area. The companions’ editors bring together a team of
respected and experienced experts to write chapters on the key issues in their
speciality, providing a comprehensive reference to the field.
The Ashgate Research
Companion to
Biosocial Theories of Crime
Edited by
KEvin M. BEAvER
Florida State University, USA
AnThony WAlsh
Boise State University, USA
© Kevin M. Beaver and Anthony Walsh 2011
All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Kevin M. Beaver and Anthony Walsh have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the editors of this work.
Published by
Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company
Wey Court East Suite 420
Union Road 101 Cherry Street
Farnham Burlington,
Surrey GU9 7PT vT 05401-4405
England USA
www.ashgate.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
The Ashgate research companion to biosocial theories of crime.
1. Criminology. 2. Criminal behavior--Physiological
aspects. 3. Criminal behavior--Genetic aspects. 4. Crime--
Sociological aspects. 5. Evolutionary psychology.
i. Biosocial theories of crime ii. Beaver, Kevin M.
iii. Walsh, Anthony, 1941-
364.2’4-dc22
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Ashgate research companion to biosocial theories of crime / [edited] by Kevin M.
Beaver and Anthony Walsh.
p. cm.
includes bibliographical references and index.
iSBn 978-1-4094-0843-7 (hbk) -- iSBn 978-1-4094-0844-4 (ebook)
1. Criminology. 2. Criminal psychology. 3. Criminal behavior--Genetic aspects.
4. Environmental psychology. i. Beaver, Kevin M. ii. Walsh, Anthony, 1941-
Hv6025.A82 2011
364.2’5--dc22
2011015947
iSBn 9781409408437 (hbk)
iSBn 9781409408444 (ebk)
IV
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
MPG Books Group, UK
Contents
List of Figures ix
List of Contributors xi
Part I: IntroductIon and overv Iew of BIosocIal
crImInology
1 Biosocial Criminology 3
Kevin M. Beaver and Anthony Walsh
2 Biosocial Interactions and Correlates of Crime 17
Anna Rudo-Hutt, Yu Gao, Andrea Glenn, Melissa Peskin, Yaling Yang, and
Adrian Raine
3 The Relationship between Low Resting Heart Rate and Antisocial
Behavior: Correlation or Causation? 45
Todd A. Armstrong
Part II: genetIcs and crIme
4 The Genetics of Criminality and Delinquency 71
Lisabeth Fisher DiLalla and Sufna Gheyara
5 Molecular Genetics and Crime 93
John Paul Wright, Kristan Moore, and Jamie Newsome
6 Gene x Environment Interactions in Antisocial Behavior 115
Christopher J. Ferguson
Part III: the BraIn and cr Ime
7 Neurotransmitters: Indirect Molecular Invitations to Aggression 135
Raymond E. Collins
8 The Limbic System and Crime 167
Matt DeLisi
The Ashgate Research Companion to Biosocial Theories of Crime
9 Neurobiological Perspectives of Brain Vulnerability in Pathways to
Violence over the Life Course 181
Denise Paquette Boots
10 The Neuroscientific Basis of Situational Action Theory 213
Kyle Treiber
Part Iv: envIronments and cr Ime
11 The Independence of Criminological “Predictor” Variables:
A Good Deal of Concerns and Some Answers from Behavioral
Genetic Research 249
H. Harrington Cleveland, Charles Beekman, and Yao Zheng
12 Birth Complications and the Development of Criminality:
A Biosocial Perspective 273
Stephen G. Tibbetts
13 Presaging Problem Behavior: The Mutuality of Child Temperament,
Parenting, and Family Environments from Gestation to Age Three 291
Matt DeLisi and Michael G. Vaughn
14 Social Class and Criminal Behavior through a Biosocial Lens 305
Anthony Walsh and David G. Mueller
Part v: evolutIonary Psychology and crIme
15 Women’s Avoidance of Rape:
An Evolutionary Psychological Perspective 331
William F. McKibbin and Todd K. Shackelford
16 The Search for Human Rape and Anti-Rape Adaptations:
Ten Years after A Natural History of Rape 349
Ryan M. Ellsworth and Craig T. Palmer
17 The Nature and Utility of Low Self-Control 369
Richard P. Wiebe
vi
Contents
Part vI: ImPlIcatIons of B IosocIal r esearch
18 Biosocial Treatment and Prevention Strategies 399
Michael G. Vaughn and Ralph Groom
19 From Petri Dish to Public Policy: A Discussion of the Implications of
Biosocial Research in the Criminal Justice Arena 413
Joseph Rukus and Chris L. Gibson
Index 437
vii
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List of Figures
6.1 How culture arises from population genetics 119
6.2 The Catalyst Model of gene x environment effects on violent behavior 125
8.1 The limbic system 169
17.1 A possible phylogeny of emotions 375
17.2 The traditional explanation of adolescent behavior has been that it is
due to the protracted development of the prefrontal cortex. Our
model takes into consideration the development of the prefrontal
cortex together with subcortical limbic regions (e.g., nucleus accumbens
and amygdala) that have been implicated in risky choices and
emotional reactivity 381
17.3 Mating effort and age 384
19.1 Report graphic entitled “How a DNA database could be created
and used” 425
