The Criminal Brain, Second Edition: Understanding Biological Theories of Crime

Frontmatter -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Preface to the Second Edition -- In Memoriam -- Authors' Note on the Second Edition -- Preface to the First Edition -- 1. Introduction: Crime, History, Science -- Part I. Biological Theories in the 19th Century -- 2. Moral Insanity and the Origins of Criminology -- 3. Phrenology: The Abnormal Brain -- 4. Criminal Anthropology: The Atavistic Brain -- 5. Evolutionary Theories: The Degenerate Brain -- Part II. Biological Theories in the 20th Century -- 6. Stupidity Theories: The Backward Brain -- 7. Constitutional Theory: Bodytypes and Criminality -- 8. Criminology's Darkest Hour: Biocriminology in Nazi Germany -- 9. An Unhappy Couple: Criminology and Biology in the Late 20th Century -- Part III. Biological Theories in the 21st Century -- 10. Becoming Partners: The Emergent Biosocial Model in Theory, Policy, and Practice -- 11. The Future of Biosocial Criminology -- Notes -- References -- Index -- About the Authors

A lively, up-to-date overview of the newest research in biosocial criminology. What is the relationship between criminality and biology? Nineteenth-century phrenologists insisted that criminality was innate, inherent in the offender's brain matter. While they were eventually repudiated as pseudo-scientists, today the pendulum has swung back. Both criminologists and biologists have begun to speak of a tantalizing but disturbing possibility: that criminality may be inherited as a set of genetic deficits that place one at risk to commit theft, violence, or acts of sexual deviance. But what do these new theories really assert? Are they as dangerous as their forerunners, which the Nazis and other eugenicists used to sterilize, incarcerate, and even execute thousands of supposed "born" criminals? How can we prepare for a future in which leaders may propose crime-control programs based on biology? In this second edition of The Criminal Brain, Nicole Rafter, Chad Posick, and Michael Rocque describe early biological theories of crime and provide a lively, up-to-date overview of the newest research in biosocial criminology. New chapters introduce the theories of the latter part of the 20th century; apply and critically assess current biosocial and evolutionary theories, the developments in neuro-imaging, and recent progressions in fields such as epigenetics; and finally, provide a vision for the future of criminology and crime policy from a biosocial perspective. The book is a careful, critical examination of each research approach and conclusion. Both compiling and analyzing the body of scholarship devoted to understanding the criminal brain, this volume serves as a condensed, accessible, and contemporary exploration of biological theories of crime and their everyday relevance. -- Provided by publisher

Introduction : crime, history, science -- Biological theories in the 19th-century -- Moral insanity and the origins of criminology -- Phrenology : the abnormal brain -- Criminal anthropology : the atavistic brain -- Evolutionary theories : the degenerate brain -- Stupidity theories : the backward brain -- Constitutional theory : bodytypes and criminality -- Criminology's darkest hour : biocriminology in Nazi Germany -- Contemporary biocriminology -- A criminology for the 21st century