Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction – Biological factors in crime causation: the reactions of social scientists
- Part I Methodological questions and implications
- Part II Evidence for the role of genetics
- Part III Psychophysiological and neurophysiological factors
- Part IV Neurological factors
- 10 Cerebral dysfunctions and persistent juvenile delinquency
- 11 Violent behavior and cerebral hemisphere function
- 12 Perceptual asymmetries and information processing in psychopaths
- Part V Biochemical factors
- Part VI Treatment issues
- Author index
- Subject index
10 - Cerebral dysfunctions and persistent juvenile delinquency
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction – Biological factors in crime causation: the reactions of social scientists
- Part I Methodological questions and implications
- Part II Evidence for the role of genetics
- Part III Psychophysiological and neurophysiological factors
- Part IV Neurological factors
- 10 Cerebral dysfunctions and persistent juvenile delinquency
- 11 Violent behavior and cerebral hemisphere function
- 12 Perceptual asymmetries and information processing in psychopaths
- Part V Biochemical factors
- Part VI Treatment issues
- Author index
- Subject index
Summary
Introduction
One of the advantages of reviewing the neuropsychological literature about criminal behavior is the absence of a long-standing history in this field. The first studies in this area started in the early 1970s (Fitzhugh, 1973; Hurwitz, Bibace, Wolff, & Rowbotham, 1972). These early studies dealt not so much with crime as a dependent variable as with the presence of mediating factors (such as learning disabilities) that might predispose to crime – for example, impaired intellect, which may reduce one's opportunities to succeed in school, in turn increasing the probability of becoming involved in crime (Fitzhugh, 1973). It took some years before the focus of neuropsychological research changed, the objective becoming more and more to understand crime. Special credit for this change should be given to Berman and Siegal (1976) and Yeudall (1977) and his co-workers, whose comprehensive research program was carried out in the Department of Neuropsychology of the Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, Canada.
Neuropsychology and behavior
What is the neuropsychological approach or, more specifically, what is neuropsychology? In general it can be said that in neuropsychology brain–behavior relations are studied. According to Luria (1970) this study has two objectives: pinpointing the brain lesions responsible for specific behavior disorders and collecting data that will lead to a better understanding of the components of complex psychological functions, such as learning, problem solving, and memory, for which the different parts (systems) of the brain are responsible.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Causes of CrimeNew Biological Approaches, pp. 168 - 184Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1987
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