STEP THREE: POLICY ANALYSIS FOR THE CASE AND THE THEORY
In the article cited by Anacristina Bedoya and Jill Portnoy, they remind the readers that while “. . .biological features of criminal behaviour is interesting and meaningful work, the policy implications of biosocial criminology are muddied and raise potential moral and ethical concerns.” “Many fear that eugenics” would be the proposed answer. Bedoya and Portnoy instead focus on more modern methods “. . . including nutrition and hormones, genetics, psychophysiology, brain imaging, and neuroimaging” and their respective policy implacations.
To begin with the area of nutrition, what humans consume could impact upon their behavior. The authors go on to cite at least three (3) studies including what I found to be the most interesting one. They cited a Mauritius Child Health Study which “found that poor nutrition at age three years predicted antisocial behavior at 17 years (Raine et al., 2003.) Therefore, in order to potentially combat this belief, the policy would be to ensure that children receive proper not only sufficient amounts of food but also healthy foods of a great nutritional value.
In so far as hormones, the writers cite research on testosterone being the most studied. Amongst the ideas discussed was “individuals who had low levels of testosterone could be a protective factor against antisocial behavior” versus “individuals with high levels of testosterone and high parental rejection reported antisocial behavior.” The authors offer several policies but offer an alternative which includes “. . . behavorial or psychosocial interventions that may affect hormone levels, such as mindfulness meditation or cognitive behavioral therapy” while advising furher research on hormones would be required.
When discussing genetics, the article gets very in depth pertaining to two (2) different and often cited studies. The end conclusion, besides behaviors not being linked to a sole gene, is that “. . . there may be multiple genetic pathways” “. . . to explain why antisocial behavior develops and persists.” The policy in short is “. . .the extent to which genetic testing will be used to make decisions surrounding antisociality, justice and crimes is unknown.”
As we continue to psychophysiology, the author’s reference several studies but offer how such studies “. . .have given insight into how environmental conditions can afffect a child’s nervous system which can in turn impact behavior.” The policy would be to “. . . take into consideration the interactions between psychophysiological risk factors and the environment” with a special focus on the youth. They offered as a solution exercise programs to assist in both raising the heart rate and that it “. . .may help reduce antisocial behavio in children with low resting heart rate.”
The authors do note that Traumatic Brain Injury (T.B.I.) is a medical diagnosis that is over represented among the justice-involved population. As they continue on about T.B.I., what becomes clear is the policy that perhaps there is a need to increase neurorehabilitation after a brain injury. They also cite the need to “. . .educate parents and children on the behavioral risks, in addition to the medical risks, of sustaining a head injury.” The author’s offer that such individuals should be able to receive “. . . psychological and/or psychiatric help early on.”
The last portion offered is Neuroimaging which is defined as “Structural brain imaging” “. . . to explore correlates of antisocial behavior.” The author’s advise that the one brain region, the amygdala, are “. . .almond shaped brain structures on either brain hemisphere that contribute to emotions, including fear.” The authors advise of the “small sample sizes due to cost” and other factors. The authors offer that “despite these limitations, neuroimaging has implications for policy and practice reducing antisocial behavior.” In conclusion, the author’s offer the possibility that with more research in this area that it could possibly be as successful in reducing antisocial behavior as it has been in treating depression.
So, the same way the Bioscoial Theory fits the above case cited, which involves mutiple underlying causes, so does the policy with multiple possible answers and treatments.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Barlow, H. D., & Kauzlarich, D. (2010). Explaining crime : A primer in criminological theory. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Incorporated, Chapter 3, Page # 42-43.
Bedoya, A.C., Portnor, J. (2023). Biosocial Criminology: History, Theory, Research Evidence, and Policy, Victims and Offenders, 18:8, 1599-1629.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2022.2133035.
Celona, Larry, et al., “Deranged man pushes Asian woman to death at Times Square subway station,” New York Post, Published January 15, 2022, Updated January 20, 2022, 12:19 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/15/woman-pushed-to-her-death-at-times-square-subway-station/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
DeGregory, Priscilla, “Martial Simon sent to mental facility over Michelle Go’s fatal subway shove,” New York Post, Published April 20, 2022, 7:10 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/04/20/martial-simon-sent-to-mental-facility-over-michelle-gos-fatal-subway-shove/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
Kessen, Ben, et al., “What we know about Times Square subway shove victim Michelle Go,” New York Post, Published January 16, 2022, Updated January 17, 2022, 9:19 A.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/16/what-we-know-about-times-square-subway-shove-victim-michelle-go/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
Lapin, Tamar, et al., ‘Judge orders psych evaluation for Times Square subway shove suspect,” New York Post, Published January 19, 2022, Updated January 19, 2022, 2xx25 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/19/judge-orders-psych-evaluation-for-fatal-subway-shove-suspect/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
Rovini, Rana, “DA: Man in Woman’s Deadly Times Square Subway Shove Used Both Hands to Kill Her,” “A 40-year-old Asian woman was pushed to her death in what appears to have been an unprovoked attack in Times Square over the weekend,” News 4 New York, Manhattan, Published January 19, 2022, Updated January 19, 2022, 9:55 P.M., Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=2ccb5e1b6a4bbf3fJmltdHM9MTcwOTQyNDAwMCZpZ3VpZD0zMGI3YmUxNi05ZmM0LTY0YzItMjliNy1iMmQ5OWU0YzY1MDAmaW5zaWQ9NTI3MA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=30b7be16-9fc4-64c2-29b7-b2d99e4c6500&psq=woman+pushed+in+front+of+train+in+times+square&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJjbmV3eW9yay5jb20vbmV3cy9sb2NhbC9jcmltZS1hbmQtY291cnRzL21pY2hlbGxlLWdvLXRpbWVzLXNxdWFyZS1zdWJ3YXktc2hvdmUtZGVhdGgtdHJhaW4tbWFydGlhbC1zaW1vbi8zNTAzMDY3Lw&ntb=1
Wallace, Danielle, “Michelle Alyssa Go Murder: Alleged NYC Subway Shover Mentally Unfit for Trial,” Fox News, April 20, 2022, 8:55 A.M. EDT, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-subway-shoving-suspect-michelle-alyssa-go-murder-mentally-unfit-trial-suspended-psychiatric-custody.print
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