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Prediction of Antisocial Behavior

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Handbook of Neuroethics

Abstract

A growing body of evidence suggests that biological factors such as genes, hormone levels, and brain functioning are associated with antisocial behavior. As research progresses, we will likely develop a better understanding of how biological factors very early in life influence the development of antisocial traits. This attempt to identify genes and early biological indicators of a propensity for criminal behavior raises a number of ethical concerns. In this chapter, the idea of an early destiny to crime is refuted and an attempt is made to explain the limited role that biological research alone has in predicting future criminal acts while the important potential that it has for helping us solve this significant societal problem is emphasized. It is argued that current knowledge on biological risk factors does not allow us to predict with reasonable certainty whether an individual is going to commit a crime. However, biological information may provide useful information about which individuals may be at somewhat greater risk for antisocial behavior, and thus may provide for the opportunity to intervene with programs designed to reduce this risk. A discussion of the ethical implications of this research is made at the end, including the potential for false positives, concerns about stigma, and the role of informed consent and the rights of children and parents.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Prevention of Youth Behavior Problems, Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, 870348, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA

    Andrea L. Glenn

  2. Bioethics Institute Ghent, Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Ghent University, Blandijnberg 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Farah Focquaert

  3. Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, Jerry Lee Center of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, 3809 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Adrian Raine

Authors
  1. Andrea L. Glenn
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  2. Farah Focquaert
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  3. Adrian Raine
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrea L. Glenn .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Jens Clausen

  2. The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Neil Levy

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Glenn, A.L., Focquaert, F., Raine, A. (2015). Prediction of Antisocial Behavior. In: Clausen, J., Levy, N. (eds) Handbook of Neuroethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4707-4_149

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4707-4_149

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-4706-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-4707-4

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