Topic 1 - What makes a criminal

What is the named study for this topic?

Raine

Raine aim

Find if areas of the brain that had been previously linked with violence would be discovered in individuals who had committed a violent crime

Raine method

Quasi experiment, matched pairs design

DV - activity in specific brain regions as assessed by a PET scan

Raine sample

41 Murderers, 39 men and 2 women. (matched pairs so it would be 82 in total)

All murderers charged with murder / manslaughter not guilty by reason of insanity. 6 had schizophrenia and this was matched to non murderers.

Raine procedure

All the NGRI’s were in prison at the time of the study, and were kept medication free for 2 weeks before the study

Practice continuious performance task for 10 mins where they had to detect target signals which activated areas of the brain that Raine hypothesized there would be differences in activity.

They started the actual CPT 30 secs before they got injected with the radioactive tracer so that the novelty of the task did not show

After completing the task, they were transferred to the PET scanner. Whilst in the scanner, their heads were held still by individual head moulds. Ten “slices” (pictures) were taken to show activity in the areas Raine et al were investigating.

Raine results

NGRIS showed: Reduced activity in areas associated with violence esp prefrontal cortex, left angular gyrus, and corpus callosum

No differences in areas linked to mental illness but not violence (eg midbrain and cerebellum

Abnormal asymmetry with reduced activity in the left hemisphere and increased in the right hemisphere (particularly in areas linked to violence)

Raine conclusions

Murderers pleading NGRI have different brain structures in comparison to normal individuals.

Neural processes underlying violence are complex and cannot be reduced to a single brain mechanism

Violent behaviour can best be explained by a neural disruption of a network of interacting brain mechanisms rather than any single structure.

What are the strategies for this topic

drug treatment, nutrition and early years prevention

Drug treatment - how it’s implemented

Clozapine - antipsychotic drug issued at 12.5 mg 1-2 times daily

Drug treatment - study to back it up

Seena Fazel et al (2014) - 45% reduction in crime when patients (in or out of prison) were perscribed anti psychotics

Nutritional - background

Deficiencies in omega-3 can result in low amounts of regulation of limbic system by the frontal lobes → causes self-control problems and aggressive behaviour

DHA is an Omega 3 fatty acid that is required for normal brain function, it is found in fish such as salmon.

Nutrition - how to implement

giving criminals supplements such as omega 6 pills with their lunch or giving them nutritional supplements daily.

Nutrition - research that backs it up

Gesch et al reported a 26% improvement in the disciplinary record of young male offenders who took supplements.

Ap Zaalberg et al reported fewer incidents of aggression, disruption and rule breaking among young adult prisoners.

early years prevention

reducing smoking and alchohol abuse in pregnant mothers decreases crime in their offspring.

early years prevention - how to implement

go to mothers in lower socioeconomic areas, areas with a lot of crime and areas where more infants are born with fetal alcohol syndrome and do routine check ups, educating the mothers about the dangers of smoking and drinking whilst pregnant.

Early years prevention - research

Olds (1998) 400 women of low socioeconomic background were given routine check ups in pregnancy and after pregnancy, being informed about the dangers of smoking and drinking while pregnant and also how to meet their childs emotional and physical needs. After a 15 year follow up, results concluded that there was a 52.8% reduction in arrests and a 63% reduction in convictions between those who had and had not recieved the check ups.