When criminal activities are committed as an outcome of an individual’s rational decision, a person commits it for purposes of gains or some form of gratification. The criminal behavior is under the total control of the perpetrator. However, there are other factors that might influence how the individual practices free will. This is explained by the three main theories of criminal behavior. These categories are the social, biological, and psychological theories. These theories indicate that human behavior, in regard to criminal activities involvement, is a sophisticated association between the three theories. This paper discusses the risk factors of criminal behavior based on social, biological, and psychological theories.
Biological Theory
There are multiple biological factors influencing criminal behavior. According to Helfgott (2008), a proper diet is vital to the optimal functioning of the human brain. For example, carbohydrates are needed to provide the fuel needed but the brain to function. Most nutrients play a role in the provision of glucose which is converted into energy for the body to use. When there is a deficiency of these vital nutrients in the body, brain function is impaired by reduced energy amounts. Akers (2013) argues that some parts of the brain, such as the frontal lobe, are involved in rational thinking, behavior organization, and regulation of emotions, hence require double the amount of energy needed by other parts of the brain. When energy reserves are not exhausted, higher brain functions are impaired, thus making brain function uninhibited. As a result, emotions remain unregulated. Apart from providing energy to the brain, particular nutrients are needed to produce n eurotransmitters. This demonstrates that malnutrition impairs cognitive activities and is a contributing factor to aggressive behaviors. Other biological factors related to an increased risk of committing crime include substance abuse and genetic influences. Alcohol abuse is common in most people who commit crimes.
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Substance abuse is linked to behaviors such as murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, and rape, among other types of crime. Substance abuse has an adverse impact, especially on individuals already suffering from mental illnesses or disorders. It is not the alcohol itself that causes criminal behaviors. However, it is believed that it triggers violent behaviors in people who are already at risk of being violent due to other factors ( Gerstenfeld, 2006) . Most researchers suggest that alcohol only increases the risk of committing a crime for a short time. Tits influence is temporal. However, other dangerous substances such as lead cause a long-lasting impact on criminal behavior. Lead ingestion is associated with a significant increase in criminality. Also, some head injuries could increase the risk of criminality. Moreover, birth complications can cause a long-term escalation of the possibility of an individual committing a crime.
There are multiple studies on twins and adoptees that try to explain the relationship between biology and criminal behavior. The studies suggest that twins are more likely to show the same behaviors, in terms of criminality, if they happen to be identical than fraternal. The fact that monozygotic twins are genes that are similar in most ways to fraternal ones indicates that criminality is affected by genetics. Similarly, research on adoptees indicates that there exists a possibility that criminality corresponds with the observed or identified in biological than adoptive parents. The risk of criminal behaviors is higher in adoptees who have one of their biological parents exhibiting criminal behaviors than those whose adoptive parents are criminals, but biological parents are not ( Hagan, 2008 ). Criminality is highest in children who have criminal adoptive and biological parents. Biochemical research conducted between the 1980s and 1990s tried to identify some of the specific factors that increase the risk of participating in crime. Some of the biochemical issues identified include neurotransmitter and hormonal imbalances, as well as reduced responses in the autonomic nervous system ( Hagan, 2008 ). Imbalances in neurotransmitters such as serotonin and hormones such as testosterone impair brain functioning leading to criminal behaviors. However, they do not absolutely predict if an individual will engage in crime or not. Most individuals demonstrating these factors are not involved in criminal activities. Instead, their presence escalates the risk of an individual participating in crimes. Due to the fact that they can be affected by environmental aspects, causation is yet to be clear.
Psychological Factors
Existing evidence indicates that the psychology of criminals stems from his/her biological matter. An individual’s mental state is influenced by diverse biological aspects. The mind and brain are strongly interconnected. Therefore, a person’s mental state is also determined by biological processes ( Miller, 2017) . Although most people with mental health illnesses do not engage in criminal behaviors, it is identified that the rate of adverse mental health issues among inmates is 3-4 times more than for other people in society. However, it should not be assumed that crimes committed by inmates with mental illness are a result of psychopathology or a mental illness that was present before incarceration. However, the disproportionate figures of this population indicate that mental illness plays a significant role in criminal behavior.
The relationship between mental illness and criminality is sophisticated. People with false ideas such as hallucinations and false beliefs such as delusions are believed to have severe psychological problems (Miller, 2017) . Recent evidence claims that people with severe mental health disorders such as schizophrenia have a high risk of engaging in criminal behavior, but not to random strangers as depicted by popular media. Although it can be understood that a person who has lost touch with reality can cause harm to others, most psychotic people do not commit crimes ( Miller, 2017 ). Evidence indicates that the cause of false perceptions is impaired brain function. For example, a person who experiences auditory hallucinations has an impaired brain characterized by the release of neurons in brain areas where sound is processed. Such an individual attacks others because the voices experienced say that the other party intends to cause harm. Psychopathy is highly linked to criminal behavior. Although such individuals are only one percent of the entire population, they form 25 percent of the prison population ( Miller, 2017 ). The nature of psychopathy makes them lack remorse for the things they do and empathy towards the people they harm. This makes them prone to crime. Although most psychopaths are not criminals, the rate of recidivism is high in this group than in other criminals who are not psychopaths. In addition, cognitive abilities have a significant influence on criminal behavior. People with a low IQ find it difficult to delay gratification, curb their impulses, and identify or acknowledge other appropriate ways of obtaining what they desire.
Social Factors
There exists a plethora of literature on environmental factors associated with criminal behavior. Diverse social factors such as growing up in a violent or abusive home environment and bullying or child abuse are associated with an increased risk of engaging in criminal behavior. For example, individuals from socioeconomically deprived households are likely to engage in criminal activities to overcome their financial challenges through illegitimate means ( Hunter & Dantzker, 2002 ). Besides, nutritional deficiencies are prevalent in poor households hence increase the risk of criminality. However, most poor people are not criminals. Therefore, this idea should not be generalized to all people living in poverty. The violence portrayed by parents at home could encourage violent behavior in children. Children from such families are likely to solve their individual problems through violence, as this is what they have learned from their parents ( Kubrin et al., 2009) . Social learning theory suggests that individuals learn by observing others in their social circles.
References
Akers, R. L. (2013). Criminological theories: Introduction and evaluation . Routledge.
Boisvert, D., & Vaske, J. (2013). Genetic theories of criminal behavior. The Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice , 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118517383.wbeccj364
Hagan, F. E. (2008). Introduction to criminology: Theories, methods, and criminal behavior . SAGE.
Helfgott, J. B. (2008). Criminal behavior: Theories, typologies and criminal justice . SAGE.
Hunter, R. D., & Dantzker, M. L. (2002). Crime and criminality: Causes and consequences .
Kubrin, C. E., Stucky, T. D., & Krohn, M. D. (2009). Researching theories of crime and deviance . Oxford University Press, USA.
Miller, L. (2017). Psychological theories of criminal behavior. Handbook of Behavioral Criminology , 43-62. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61625-4_4
