Nature Vs Nurture In Criminal Behavior

The nature vs. nurture debate has always been a topic of interest among top researchers, psychologists, and theorists, becoming increasingly significant in the attempt to explain and counter crime. This study seeks to answer the following question: Does social and familial environment drive an individual to commit crimes or does the manifestation of biological traits lead to criminal behavior? Its goal is to analyze different experiments and sources to determine the whether nature or nurture has an effect on an individual’s future personality and tendency to commit crimes.
Those arguing for the role of nurture in the shaping of criminal behaviors cite an individual's upbringing as one of the major developmental forces that lead to unlawful

Jones, mental illnesses have become essential in the diagnosis of individuals with antisocial or criminal behavior. For example, children with oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) display defiance and disobedience toward adult figures, often also showing signs of hostility and vindictiveness and starting to “lie and steal, engage in vandalism, abuse drugs, and show aggression towards peers.” On the other hand, while attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) does not have a distinct link to future violence, those suffering from this personality disorder have the inability to analyze consequences of or learn from previous behaviors, making it more likely for those people to continue their potentially harmful acts without realizing the extent of the damage they cause. In this source, Jones states that ODD and ADHD are both risk factors in developing a even more life-changing affliction, antisocial personality disorder, which is directly connected to the pursuit of criminal actions. While the presence of personality disorders serve as an example of nature’s role in the development of felonious tendencies, others argue that mental predispositions just exist without genetic activation. In Art Spiegelman’s political cartoon, a man is shown trying to show his daughter how to play with a truck after seeing her with a doll in an attempt to overcome gender roles; however, the little girl, despite her father’s endeavors, treats the toy truck as yet another baby doll, saying,”Poor little truckie! Mama’s gonna wrap you inna blankie and give you a little bottle…” This cartoon indicates that nature plays a stronger role in the interests of a child than nurture, symbolized by the man’s efforts to introduce a new plaything to his