AN APPRAISAL OF CRIMINAL INSANITY: ITS GENETIC ASPECTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES

Abstract

It is currently impossible to assign major responsibility for criminal behaviour and those traits leading to criminal behaviour through either genetics or the environment since both appear to be involved. The criminal law provides a defense for people who as a result of their mental condition, should not be held responsible for what would otherwise be criminal conduct. The aim of this article to investigate the genetic, environmental and psychiatric aspects of criminal insanity and to determine the role of the mental health services in the disposal of the accused in criminal proceedings by the criminal justice system. Consequently, this paper will examine the various roles in which both genes and environmental factors influence criminal behavior. This paper further analyzes recent researches carried out to assign responsibility to the importance of genetics as compared with environmental influences and other aspects such as neurological damage to an individual, which makes them susceptible to criminal type behaviour. This article is concluded by saying that while there is currently no gene directly linked to criminality, there are genes that are responsible for such functions as aggressiveness and impulsiveness to some degree. Finally this paper recommends that major effort should currently be directed towards preventing brain damage and other neurological problems as well as dealing with families that are likely to be prone to producing children of anti-social, aggressive, and violent behaviour. In addition to the home setting, schools, society and the mass media can do much to prevent criminal demeanor as well as the preventive aspects through the police and the courts.