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Andrew Sanchez

Mrs. Baker

Forensics

09 October 2019

DNA and Criminal Behavior

An ongoing debate discussing why either genetics or social experiences lead to crime

has been greatly analyzed for years. Whether it's coming from a bad home or childhood of

violence or having parents that have been involved in crime, researchers and scientists have

been looking at both sides of the spectrum when trying to sole this compelling debate.

However, during the modern age of crime, criminologists are starting to reject and ignore

genetics and concentrate more on social causes that lead to crime. In my personal opinion, I

believe that social influences are the main cause of crime in our day in age. I see using genetics

to prove a criminal guilty is an excuse to get a lighter sentence. Furthermore, taking a person’s

background and early life should be taken into account when convicting a criminal.

Not every person around the globe has the same exact start to their life. Some are born

into poverty and struggle while others may be born into a fortunate and wealthy family. From a

study done by the Brookings Institution they found, “That boys who grew up in families in the

bottom 10 percent of the income distribution - families earning less than about $14,000 - are 20

times more likely to be in prison on a given day.” (Looney) This study was based on the share of

babies born in 1980-1986 that grew up in neighborhoods that were socially isolated and

segregated neighborhood with high rates of child poverty and in predominantly African
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American or American Indian neighborhood. These statistics show that children that grow up in

harsher conditions of poverty and crime are more likely to become criminals themselves.

Improving upon the fact that families with unstable economic problems may lead to

more crime, income inequality in communities also plays a big role in crime as well. Aki Robers,

a criminologist in the UWM Sociology department states that income inequality is when “You

compare yourself to economically well-off members of the community, and for many people,

that creates economic strain or stress.” (Vickery) She speaks that this economic stress that is

associated with many kinds of criminal behavior. In addition, she also shares that communities

“with many short-term residents or which lacks trust in police may struggle more with crime.”

(Vickery)

While there are factors that may lean more towards genetics as causes of criminal

behavior, social environment also shows a clear argument against genetics. Whether it be the

income distribution of the family or communities and economic stress, these social factors of a

person’s early life could very well shape them into a criminal. While I am not disregarding the

genetics may play a role in a person’s criminal behavior, I believe that social and environmental

circumstances of a person’s early life and childhood play the biggest role in determining

criminal behavior.
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Works Cited

Looney, Adam, and Nicholas Turner. “Work and Opportunity before and after
Incarceration.” Brookings, Brookings, 14 Mar. 2018, www.brookings.edu/research/work-
and-opportunity-before-and-after-incarceration/.

Vickery , Sarah. “Understanding the Cause of Crime: Sociology and Criminology.” Letters
and Science, 20 Mar. 2017, uwm.edu/letters-science/news/understanding-cause-crime-
sociology-criminology/.