Prevention, Treatment, and Future Directions

What is prevention?

Stopping antisocial behavior before it occurs and targeting at-risk youth or families before criminal behavior takes place

What is treatment?

Rehabilitation designed to decrease additional offending for those who have already offended and to reduce recidivism

What is a common misconception about biosocial informed policy?

That it supports eugenics or imprisoning people with biological risk factors when it actually aims to inform prevention and treatment

What is the risk factor prevention paradigm?

The idea that risk factors have varying levels of influence on antisocial behavior

What are examples of strong risk factors?

Delinquent peers and low self-control

What are examples of weak risk factors?

Poverty and neighborhood characteristics

What are static risk factors?

Unchangeable factors like past abuse or genetic traits

What are dynamic risk factors?

Changeable factors like substance use or parenting quality

How can dynamic risk factors be prevented from becoming static?

By intervening early before harmful exposures become permanent

Is parenting the only target for prevention strategies?

No, parenting is important but not the only factor influencing criminal behavior

What does policy in criminology involve?

Research-informed decisions applied at multiple levels from federal to household

What is the purpose of education programs for parents-to-be?

To teach about harmful prenatal exposures before pregnancy occurs

Why is prenatal healthcare important?

It provides access to screenings and reduces risks of pregnancy-related complications

What are maternity care deserts?

Counties lacking adequate maternity care services that affect millions of women

What do programs targeting early childhood aim to do?

Teach parents about safety, healthy habits, and brain development to improve child outcomes

What is recidivism?

Reoffending behavior after release from incarceration

What are recidivism rates like?

Over half of released individuals are rearrested within 3 years

Why consider genetic risk in treatment?

Because genetic differences may affect how effective a treatment is for an individual

What are plasticity alleles?

Genetic traits that make individuals more or less responsive to treatment

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

A therapy that changes thought patterns and social responses; shown to alter brain functioning

How does CBT affect the brain?

It decreases amygdala activity in PTSD patients

What are epigenetic interventions?

Approaches that turn genes on or off to counteract negative environmental effects like abuse or neglect

What should any policy include?

Informed formulation, testing, evaluation, and safeguards to prevent harm

What are major findings from biosocial criminology?

Genes and environments both matter and the brain is central to studying antisocial behavior

What is the current trend in criminology students?

Growing interest in biosocial criminology among younger and psychology-focused students

What is the future outlook for biosocial criminology?

Cautious optimism as the field becomes more interdisciplinary and widely accepted