bio theories informing policy development Flashcards
(19 cards)
what are the three theories that inform policy development?
neurochemicals (diet)
neurochemicals (drugs)
eugenics
who studied diet and nutrition?
Gesch 2002
what did Gesch study involve?
diet can have an impact on aggressive behaviour and a good diet can reduce crime
what was the experiment linked to diet?
231 young male prisoners took nutritional and placebo supplements. the ones who took nutritional = disciplinary action dropped by 35%. the ones who took placebo dropped by 6.7%. violent incidents dropped by 37% and 10.1%
how did the Gesch study inform policy development?
prisons can take on better ideas for food so that there is no aggressive behaviour = reduce crime rates
what did Vikkunen et al find about diet?
serotonin is a key attribute in diets as violent offenders often lack it
how do Vikkunen’s findings inform policy development?
people diets need to include high levels of serotonin to prevent them from becoming violent offenders
what three drugs where looked at?
Antabuse, Methadone and Stilbestrol
how does Antabuse help to reduce crime?
can reduce the level of drink related crime as it creates really bad ‘hangovers’ to put people off alcohol
how does Methadone help to reduce crime?
stops heroin dependancy so that people don’t commit crime as a way to afford it
what is the long term success rate for Methadone?
60 - 90%
what is Stilbestrol used for?
‘chemical castration’ to treat male sex offenders
what is Stilbestrol?
a female hormone that suppresses testosterone levels to reduce male sex drive
what are the side effects to Stilbestrol?
breast development, feminisation, psychiatric disorders
define eugenics
the practice of improving the human species by selective mating of people with desirable hereditary traits
how does eugenics relate to biological theories of criminality?
they believe biology has contributed towards many social problems
what kind of polices were suggested by eugenicists to help reduce crime?
more sexual reproduction for people with desirable traits
higher rates of sterilisation of people with less desired traits
how was the USA using eugenic policies?
1927 - declared it was legal to compulsorily sterilise the ‘unfit’ + those with learning disabilities
why is it unlikely that eugenics policies will be used in modern day?
the science behind it has been discredited, it is immoral and was the justification for the Nazi regime homicide
