Aggression And Violent Behavior Paper
Aggression and Violent Behavior 18 (2013) 605–610
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Aggression and Violent Behavior
Ethical, legal and social issues surrounding research on genetic contributions to anti-social behavior
Colleen M. Berryessa, Nicole A. Martinez-Martin, Megan A. Allyse ⁎
Stanford University, Center for Biomedical Ethics, United States
a r t i c l e
i n f o
a b s t r a c t
Article history:
Received 26 March 2013
Received in revised form 27 June 2013
Accepted 16 July 2013
Available online 22 July 2013
Scientific study of genetic contributions to chronic antisocial behavior has stemmed from many lines of research in recent years. Genetic research involving twin, family, and adoption studies …show more content…
Although there have been some efforts to educate judges on scientific evidence since Daubert, such as conferences, programs and pamphlets, these resources are not extraordinarily exhaustive and most judges are still under qualified to understand the validity and importance of bioscientific research on antisocial behavior in court.
This becomes additionally complicated when a psychiatrist or scientist gives expert testimony on behavioral evidence in court, such as testimony claiming a defendant 's genetic or biological predisposition to specific types of antisocial behavior, to a judge or jury who, trusting those labeled “experts,” might take opinions expressed in expert testimony at face value or as fact without knowing the scientific reliability the testimony. Several studies (Ivković & Hans, 2003;
Raitz, Greene, Goodman, & Loftus, 1990; Vidmar & Diamond, 2001) have shown that jurors are very influenced and persuaded by expert testimony on scientific evidence, even if they do not fully comprehend it. Juries are thus very likely to put too much weight on behavioral genetic evidence when trying to understand a defendant …show more content…
Retrieved from www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/
38/part/1 (on December 5, 2012).
Ashworth, A. (2004). Social control and antisocial behaviour: The subversion of human rights. Law Quarterly Review, 120, 263.
Aspinwall, L., Brown, T., & Tabery, J. (2012). The double-edged sword: Does biomechanism increase or decrease sentences for psychopaths? Science, 337(6096), 846–849.
Baker, L., Bezdjian, S., & Raine, A. (2006). Behavioral genetics: The science of antisocial behavior. Law and Contemporary Problems, 69(1–2), 7–46.
Beecher-Monas, E., & Garcia-Rill, E. (2006). Genetic predictions of future dangerousness.
Law and Contemporary Problems, 69, 301.
Birch, D. (September 25). Crime, genetics link not found conference closes amid unusual quiet after weekend protest: Baltimore Sun (Retrieved from http://articles. baltimoresun.com/1995-09-25/news/1995268062_1_genetics-violence-genesexist on December 5, 2012).
Breggin, P. (1995). Campaigns against racist federal programs by the Center for the Study of Psychiatry and psychology. Journal of African American Men, 1(3), 3–22.
Brunner, H. G., Nelen, M., Breakefield, X. O., Ropers, H. H., & van Oost, B.A. (1993). Abnormal behavior associated with a point mutation in the structural gene for
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Aggression and Violent Behavior
Ethical, legal and social issues surrounding research on genetic contributions to anti-social behavior
Colleen M. Berryessa, Nicole A. Martinez-Martin, Megan A. Allyse ⁎
Stanford University, Center for Biomedical Ethics, United States
a r t i c l e
i n f o
a b s t r a c t
Article history:
Received 26 March 2013
Received in revised form 27 June 2013
Accepted 16 July 2013
Available online 22 July 2013
Scientific study of genetic contributions to chronic antisocial behavior has stemmed from many lines of research in recent years. Genetic research involving twin, family, and adoption studies …show more content…
Although there have been some efforts to educate judges on scientific evidence since Daubert, such as conferences, programs and pamphlets, these resources are not extraordinarily exhaustive and most judges are still under qualified to understand the validity and importance of bioscientific research on antisocial behavior in court.
This becomes additionally complicated when a psychiatrist or scientist gives expert testimony on behavioral evidence in court, such as testimony claiming a defendant 's genetic or biological predisposition to specific types of antisocial behavior, to a judge or jury who, trusting those labeled “experts,” might take opinions expressed in expert testimony at face value or as fact without knowing the scientific reliability the testimony. Several studies (Ivković & Hans, 2003;
Raitz, Greene, Goodman, & Loftus, 1990; Vidmar & Diamond, 2001) have shown that jurors are very influenced and persuaded by expert testimony on scientific evidence, even if they do not fully comprehend it. Juries are thus very likely to put too much weight on behavioral genetic evidence when trying to understand a defendant …show more content…
Retrieved from www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/
38/part/1 (on December 5, 2012).
Ashworth, A. (2004). Social control and antisocial behaviour: The subversion of human rights. Law Quarterly Review, 120, 263.
Aspinwall, L., Brown, T., & Tabery, J. (2012). The double-edged sword: Does biomechanism increase or decrease sentences for psychopaths? Science, 337(6096), 846–849.
Baker, L., Bezdjian, S., & Raine, A. (2006). Behavioral genetics: The science of antisocial behavior. Law and Contemporary Problems, 69(1–2), 7–46.
Beecher-Monas, E., & Garcia-Rill, E. (2006). Genetic predictions of future dangerousness.
Law and Contemporary Problems, 69, 301.
Birch, D. (September 25). Crime, genetics link not found conference closes amid unusual quiet after weekend protest: Baltimore Sun (Retrieved from http://articles. baltimoresun.com/1995-09-25/news/1995268062_1_genetics-violence-genesexist on December 5, 2012).
Breggin, P. (1995). Campaigns against racist federal programs by the Center for the Study of Psychiatry and psychology. Journal of African American Men, 1(3), 3–22.
Brunner, H. G., Nelen, M., Breakefield, X. O., Ropers, H. H., & van Oost, B.A. (1993). Abnormal behavior associated with a point mutation in the structural gene for