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Essay 1 Legal Psychology
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Essay 1: genetic make up and violence/criminal offense. Grade: 8
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1PSY3377 Legal Psychology
Assignment: Waldroup now claims he committed the act solely because of his genetic make up.
Explain whether you find this claim to be likely or not. Substantiate your answer with research
findings.
Assignment #: First assignment
Word count: 686
Question
Is it likely that someone (Waldroup) commits violent behavior solely because of one’s genetic
make up?
Answer
Since the discovery of a MAOA gene mutation in 1993, many questions have emerged
concerning violent behavior. The MAOA gene can be found on the X chromosome, making it
more likely to occur in men. Brunner, Nelen, Breakefield, Ropers and van Oost (1993) suggest
that due to a mutation in the MAOA gene, it becomes less active and does not function correctly.
Because of this deficiency, crucial chemical neurotransmitters in the brain are not being
mobilized accurately. In people this can result in a tendency towards extremely aggressive
outbursts, especially when provoked (Brunner et al., 1993). The evidence that genes may play a
role in violent behavior is an important issue in the courtroom, as it adds factors to the level of
responsibility of a suspect. To hold an individual responsible for his criminal actions, it has to be
proven that this individual committed the crimes but also that he had a state of mind to be legally
responsible for his acts (Forzano, Borry, Cambon-Thomsen, van Hodgson, Tibben, de Vries, van
El & Cornel, 2010). One could argue that with a MAOA mutation, the accused person holds less
responsibility for his actions. The defense then might use the fact that a suspect possesses a
MAOA mutation as a way to reduce the sentence. However, in this essay, I will seek to answer
whether it is likely that someone engages in violent or criminal behavior solely because of their
genetic make up.
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