A new study has found that genetics can influence the likelihood that a person will become a sex offender. The paper was written by experts from the University of Ottawa and Oxford University. It revolved around nationwide Swedish data of about 21,566 men convicted of sexual crimes, such as molestation, between 1973 and 2009. Sexual crime rates among fathers and brothers of sexual offenders were compared with rates in fathers and brothers of age-matched population control men groups, without sexual convictions. Research showed that the biological sons of sex offenders also carried a great risk of becoming offenders. The study believes that genetics accounts for up to 40% of the risk of developing into sexual criminals.
This research is interesting but definitely needs more done on it. Research in the field of effectiveness of selective prevention efforts for males of sex offenders needs, for example, to be conducted. This research can also be used to help people by identifying them at an earlier age and beginning treatment while they are still in their youth. Sometimes, many of the people that become sex offenders wish they weren't and honestly seek treatment. If this research was furthered, these poor people could benefit greatly as they would have a chance at a normal life.
In order for this research to be more substantial, I think that it needs to attempt a pinpointed gene sequence to relate to the "aggressive" inheritance. I know in psychology that a lot of studies on severe criminals have found deformations - namely a significant decrease in size from the average - in the amygdala and hippocampus of rapists, murderer, etc. If a link can be found between the development of this neurobiological system and inherited genetics, we would certainly be able to understand heritable behavior much better. There is, however, always the issue of deffinitively claiming one gene or structure as the reason for a certain behavor. Human behavior is vastly complicated, and driven both by genetics and ones environment; thus claiming one or two genes or brain structures are responsible for something as complex as criminal behavior is dangerous, and excitatory. The main public would not be able to understand the complexity of an issue like this, and would likely rely too heavily on this to determine their expectations for and treatment of others. While criminal and aggression studies are fascinating, the public should not get involved until a lot more research has been done and supported.
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