This book profiles biological approaches to understanding why some people are criminals and others not. The book, written by internationally recognized behavioral geneticist David C. Rowe, offers instructors and students a brief, contemporary presentation of biological approaches to crime with a minimum of jargon. (A background in the biological sciences is not required.)
Boxes highlight special topics and examples drawn from newspaper stories to spark student interest.
Chapters cover:

• Behavioral genetics
• Evolutionary approaches to crime
• Biological tests for criminal disposition
• The human genome and crime
• The environment and crime
• Ethical and policy implications

This book will enrich students' appreciation of the nexus of biology and crime-- without negating non-biological theories of crime.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Biology and Crime

Two Biological Perspectives on Crime
Levels of Biological Analysis
Environmental Influences

Chapter 2: The Heritability of Criminal Disposition

Identical Twins and Crime
How to Interpret Heritability Coefficients
Inferring Genetic Influence on Behavioral Characteristics
Environmental Influences
Shared and Nonshared Environmental Influence
Estimating Genetic and Environmental Influences in Behavioral Genetic Research Designs
Mednick's Classic Adoption Study of Crime
The Developmental Perspective
Psychiatric Disorders and Criminality

Chapter 3: The Evolutionary Perspective on Crime

Perspectives on Human Behavior and Evolution
Sexual Selection and Sex Differences in Crime
Kin Selection and Crime
Individual Differences and Evolution
Evolutionary Theory of Biological Differences in Criminal Disposition
The Alternative Strategy Theories

Chapter 4: Does the Body Tell? Biological Characteristics and Criminal Disposition

Finding the Physiological Basis of Criminal Disposition
Blood and Saliva Tests of Criminal Disposition
Serotonin Levels
Heart Rate Tests of Criminal Disposition
Skin Conductance Tests of Criminal Disposition
Tests of Brain Anatomy and Function

Chapter 5: A Gene for Crime? Molecular Genetics and Criminal Disposition

An Introduction to Molecular Genetics
Variation at the Level of the Gene
Genes and the Determination of Behavioral Characteristics
Methods of Finding Genes Related to Behavioral Traits
Specific Genes Related to Criminal Disposition
The Dopamine Receptor (D4) Gene
A Serotonin Gene
The MAOA Gene

Chapter 6: Environmental Influences in Light of Genetic Findings

Peer Groups, Gangs, and Crime
Genotype x Environment Interactions
Historical Changes in Crime
Changing Crime Rates Without Affecting the Root Causes of Crime
Changing Crime Rates By Affecting the Root Causes of Crime

Chapter 7: A Look Ahead: Implications for Criminal Justice Policy and Ethical Concerns

The Medical Model vs. the Criminal Justice Model
Using Biological Markers to Predict Future Characteristics
Predicting Criminal Disposition from Genetic Information
In the Name of Eugenics
Eugenic Policies and Criminal Disposition
Why the Criminal Justice System is Not Scientifically-Based