tracing the development of serious offending across the life-course john paul wright, phd university...

TRACING THE

DEVELOPMENT OF

SERIOUS OFFENDING

ACROSS THE LIFE-COURSEJOHN PAUL WRIGHT, PHD

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

SCHOOL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY, JEDDAH SAUDI ARABIA

WHO AM I?• WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ME SO YOU CAN GAUGE

THE LEGITIMACY OF MY PRESENTATION

• ACTIVE RESEARCHER FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS

• HELPED TO DEVELOP BRANCH OF CRIMINOLOGY CALLED “BIOSOCIAL CRIMINOLOGY”

• OVER 200 SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES, CHAPTERS, AND SEVERAL BOOKS

• LATEST BOOK: “CONSERVATIVE CRIMINOLOGY: A CALL TO RESTORE BALANCE IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES.” ABOUT ROLE OF IDEOLOGY IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

• CONDUCTED FIELD WORK THIS SUMMER IN CINCINNATI

• HARLEY DAVIDSON, HUNTING/SHOOTING

ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

• WILL NOT BE POLITICALLY CORRECT

• WE WILL EXAMINE THE SCIENCE ON:

• CONCRETE FACTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINAL/ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR

• LIFE-COURSE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSISTENT OFFENDING

• BIOLOGICAL / GENETIC/ BRAIN EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR

• SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS / GENETIC MODERATION

• TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS AND LIMITATIONS

BASIC FACTS ON CRIMINAL OFFENDING

• PRIMARILY MALE: 97% OF ALL LCP’S ARE MALE

• EARLY AGE OF ONSET: 40-700% MORE CRIME IF STARTS BY 12

• HIGH TIME AND SITUATIONALLY STABLE: RESISTANT TO CHANGE

• HIGHLY CONCENTRATED IN CERTAIN FAMILIES ACROSS GENERATIONS

• KNOWN DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAY

• UNIQUE THINKING STYLES / PERSONALITY ARCHETYPE

• HEDONISTIC LIFESTYLES

• GENERALITY OF OFFENDING

• STRONG ASSORTIVE MATING

• DIVERSIFICATION OF CONSEQUENCES OVER TIME

BASIC FACTS: SEX DIFFERENCES • UNIVERSAL: NOT

PRODUCT OF DIFFERENTIAL SOCIALIZATION

• PHYSICAL—MUSCULAR, PHYSIOLOGICAL

• NEUROLOGICAL—BRAIN STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS

• SOCIAL / BEHAVIORAL

BASIC FACTS: EARLY ONSETCHRONIC, PERSISTENT, SERIOUS

OFFENDERS TYPICALLY EXHIBIT AN EARLY ONSET FOR ANTISOCIAL AND/OR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

A META-ANALYSIS OF NINETEEN STUDIES OF CRIMINAL CAREERS (KROHN, THORNBERRY, RIVERA, AND LEBLANC, 2001) DEMONSTRATED THAT EARLY ONSET OFFENDERS COMMITTED BETWEEN 40-700% MORE CRIMES THAN OFFENDERS WHO ONSET LATER.

• VIRTUALLY ALL CHRONIC VIOLENT OFFENDERS REPORTED THAT THEY BEGAN THEIR OFFENDING BETWEEN THE AGES OF 9 TO 12

• CHRONIC, PERSISTENT, VIOLENT…..BUT ALSO VERSATILITY

• MUCH LONGER CAREER

• VERY HIGH MORTALITY RATES

BASIC FACTS: STABILITY

• STRONGEST PREDICTOR OF FUTURE BEHAVIOR IS PAST BEHAVIOR—ALWAYS

• ADULT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR ALMOST REQUIRES CHILDHOOD ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR

• CROSS-TIME / PLACE / SITUATION

Variety | Extremity | Early Onset | Context Invariant

Human Behavior is Resistant to Change

BASIC FACTS: INTERGENERATIONAL CONCENTRATION IN FAMILIES• 90% OF ALL SERIOUS, CHRONIC

OFFENDERS COME FROM <10% OF ALL FAMILIES

• 6% OF FAMILIES ACCOUNT FOR >50% ALL ARRESTS (LONDON)

• 8% OF FAMILIES ACCOUNT FOR 43% ALL ARRESTS (PITTSBURGH)

• LARGE FAMILY SIZE / MULTIPLE PROBLEMS / MULTIPLE FATHERS / GENETIC & EPIGENETIC & SOCIAL

BASIC FACTS: KNOWN DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAY• TIME ORDERING TO DEVELOPMENT TO LCP OFFENDING

• OFF-TIME = EARLY ONSET OR VERY LATE ONSET

• ON-TIME = ADOLESCENT-LIMITED OFFENDING

• MINOR, LOW INTENSITY PROBLEM BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL IN ADOLESCENCE—SERIOUS OFFENDING IS NOT (ROBBERY)

BASIC FACTS: THINKING STYLES / PERSONALITY • PERSONALITY IS A

POWERFUL PREDICTOR OF LIFE OUTCOMES

• NARCISSISM

• MACHIAVELLIANISM

• GRANDIOSITY

• NEGATIVE EMOTIONALITY

• HIGH SELF-ESTEEM

• THINKING STYLES EMERGE FROM PERSONALITY

• ENTITLEMENT / VICTIMSTANCE

• RATIONALIZATION / UNIQUENESS

• DENIAL

• SUPER OPTIMISM / SENTIMENTALITY

BASIC FACTS: GENERALITY OF OFFENDING• COMMIT A DIVERSE ARRAY

OF CRIMES

• FEW SPECIALIZE BUT SOME HAVE PREFERENCES (DRUGS SEX)

• MINOR FORMS OF CB CORRELATE POSITIVELY WITH MAJOR FORMS OF CB

• HIGHLY OPPORTUNIST

• AVERAGE OFFENDER SELF-REPORTS 86 CRIMES PER 1 ARREST

• SENTENCING SCHEMES BASED ON CONVICTION OFFENSE INACCURATE APPRAISAL OF RISK

• THEY DO EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE

BASIC FACTS: DIVERSITY OF CONSEQUENCES

• DROP OUT OF CONVENTIONAL LIFE

• CRIMINAL NETWORKS

• POVERTY

• PROLONGED UNEMPLOYMENT

• MORTALITY ALL CAUSES

• MULTIPLE OFFSPRING

• VENEREAL DISEASE

• NOT CREDIT WORTHY

• MULTIPLE ARRESTS

• MULTIPLE PERIODS OF INCARCERATION

ALL EVIDENCE POINTS TO DEVELOPMENT OF “CRIMINALITY”

UNDERLYING PROPENSITY TO VIOLATE SOCIAL NORMS AND LAWS, TO VIOLATE OTHERS, TO ENGAGE IN PREDATORY BEHAVIOR.

KNOWN DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORY

CONCENTRATED IN CERTAIN FAMILIES ACROSS GENERATIONS

DISTINGUISHING INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

HIGHLY STABLE OVER LONG SWATHS OF THE LIFE-COURSE

KNOWN/FORESEEABLE OUTCOMES

RESISTANT TO CHANGE

WHAT CAUSES “CRIMINALITY” NOT WHAT CAUSES CRIMECRIMINALITY IS AN

UNDERLYING BEHAVIORAL PROCLIVITY

CRIMINALITY CAN CO-OCCUR WITH OTHER DISORDERS.

THE POINT IS, IT IS THE CRIMINALITY WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL THAT DRIVES HIS CHOICE AND BEHAVIORS.

CRIME IS AN EVENT

CRIMINAL EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO MANY VARIABLES, SUCH AS THE PRESENCE OF GUARDIANS, SURVEILLANCE, OPPORTUNITY, AND SUITABLE VICTIM

THINK OF YOUR LOCAL “STOP AND ROB.”

PART II: DEVELOPMENT OF SERIOUS OFFENDING

DISTRIBUTION

All Offenders

HeterogeneityLimited Penetration of the System

Repeat Offenders

LCP Offenders

10-30% Recidivism

30-50%

80-100%

20-30% Arrested

Populate our Jails and Prisons

WHAT DO ADULT OFFENDERS LOOK LIKE?

• PERSISTENT PATTERN OF HOSTILE INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS.

• PERSISTENT PATTERN OF POOR IMPULSE CONTROL AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION.

• SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS (ATTRIBUTION BIASES).

• SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT IN VARIOUS SOCIAL ARENAS (SOCIAL FAILURES).

• INABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY ADAPT BEHAVIOR TO NOVEL SITUATIONS AND CONTEXTS.

Life Course Development

Pre/Parinatal

Brain Development

Ingestion ofNeurotoxins

Parental History of Behavioral

Disorders

Childhood

Development of Socially Adaptive

Skills

Development of

Self-Control

Positive Cognitive

Associations

Adolescence

Adaptive Behavioral

Skills

Self-Control

Social Integration

Adulthood

Self-Directed Behavior

THE PROCESS IS DEVELOPMENTAL:

THE PROCESS IS CUMULATIVEInfancy Childhood Adolescence

Poor CNS Development Callousness Limited Impulse Control

Fussy/Irritable Impulsive School failure

Difficult to soothe Peer Rejection Poor relationships

Less Parental Bonding Language/Reading Probs. Deviant peers

Physical Aggression Aggressive bias

Lying Drugs/Alcohol

Theft Manipulation of others

Arrest

THE PROCESS IS SOMEWHAT SEQUENTIAL:

THE PROCESS IS IDENTIFIABLE EARLY IN LIFE •IN INFANCY:

• IRRITABLE AND FUSSY

•DIFFICULT TO SOOTHE

•HIGH REACTIVITY TO NOVEL EXPERIENCES

TREMBLAY’S STUDY ON INFANTS

Terrible 2’s

VERY EARLY AGGRESSION90+% Male

80% of Kids

IN CHILDHOOD

• PEER REJECTION

• LEARNING PROBLEMS

• LIMITED VOCABULARY

• REPETITION OF GRADE

• SCHOOL DISCIPLINE

• POOR HEALTH, POOR DIET

• BULLYING

• VANDALISM AND DESTRUCTIVENESS

• STRESSFUL PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

• CONFLICT RIDDEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

CHILDHOOD BEHAVIOR AND ADULT PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESSORS/ ADVERSITIES (ROBINS, 1966)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Divorced Unemployed 10+ jobchanges in 10

years

Unskilled/semi-skilled job

Practicallywithout friends

Antisocialboys

Controlboys

%

IN ADOLESCENCE

• VIOLENCE

• EARLY ONSET DRUGS/ALCOHOL

• DELINQUENT PEERS

• MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

• PHYSICAL INJURIES

• EARLY ONSET OF SEXUAL RELATIONS

• MULTIPLE SEXUAL PARTNERS

• SMOKING

• SUICIDE (6X HIGHER)

• MORTALITY (ALL FORMS)

• SCHOOL FAILURE/DROPPING OUT

• INADEQUATE SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND SOCIAL SKILLS

• ARREST (BY AGE 12 IS KEY)

• INCARCERATION

TO OUTCOMES IN ADULTHOOD:ARREST

IMPRISONMENT

HEAVY DRUG USE/ADDICTION

MOTOR-VEHICLE WRECKS/FATALITIES

MULTIPLE DIVORCES

MULTIPLE OFFSPRING WITH NO VISIBLE MEANS OF SUPPORT OR INTEREST

VERY POOR EMPLOYABILITY, LIMITED JOB HISTORY, LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT

MALINGERING (WORKMAN’S COMP)

VERY POOR CREDIT HISTORY, CREDIT UNWORTHINESS

VENEREAL DISEASE

CRIMINAL LIFESTYLE……FREQUENT, HIGHLY VERSATILE OFFENDING

MORTALITY AGES 15-24

WHICH MEANS THAT MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR BECOMES VERY, VERY STABLE…

BY AGE 4 WE CAN PREDICT WHO WILL BE A SERIOUS JUVENILE OFFENDER

BY AGE 12 WE CAN PREDICT WHO WILL BE A SERIOUS ADULT OFFENDER

THINK OF THE OBVIOUS NEED FOR VERY EARLY INTERVENTION—STARTING AT CONCEPTION

PART III: BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES

TWIN AND ADOPTION EVIDENCE• HERITABILITY OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR IS 50% TO 85%

ACROSS STUDIES

• RELIGIOSITY IS 10%: PERSONALITY IS 50%: IQ AND EF IS 85%-100%

• ADOPTED CHILDREN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO RESEMBLE BIOLOGICAL PARENTS THAN ADOPTED PARENTS, REGARDLESS OF AGE OF ADOPTION

G/E CORRELATIONS & INTERACTIONS

• G*E INTERACTIONS

• INDIVIDUALS RESPOND TO SOCIAL STIMULI BASED ON GENETIC INFLUENCES

• G*E CORRELATIONS

• ENVIRONMENT IS PARTIALLY PRODUCT OF GENES

• PASSIVE CORRELATIONS

• REACTIVE CORRELATIONS

• ACTIVE CORRELATIONS

RESPONSE TO LIFE EVENTS AS A FUNCTION OF GENETIC LIABILITY (FROM KENDLER & GARDENER, 1998)

Risk of onset of major depression

(%)

Severe Life Event

Genetic Liability

Highest

High

Low

Lowest

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

abused

nonabused

CHILD CONDUCT PROBLEMS AS A FUNCTION OF GENETIC RISK AND PHYSICAL MALTREATMENT

(from Jaffee et al., 2004)

Ch

i ld c

on

du

ct p

r ob

lem

s

Lowest Low High Highest Genetic risk Genetic risk Genetic risk Genetic risk

ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AS A FUNCTION OF MAOA ACTIVITY AND A CHILDHOOD HISTORY OF MALTREATMENT (FROM CASPI ET AL., 2002)

Childhood maltreatment

Composite index of antisocial behaviour

(z scores)

•PRENATAL SENSITIVITY!

•LEAST COMPLEX TO MOST COMPLEX

•60% OF OUR 20,000 GENES CODE FOR THIS ONE ORGAN

•100 MILLION NERVE CELLS

•1 TRILLION GLIA CELLS

•EACH NEURON CAN HAVE BETWEEN 1 TO OVER 10,000 SYNAPSES (CONNECTIONS)

•30 BILLION CELLS IN FRONTAL CORTEX ARE CONNECTED BY 62,000 MILES OF AXONS AND DENDRITES

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT:

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME

Loni Institute: UCLA

EVIDENCE OF THE CHANGING BRAIN

A TOP DOWN PICTURE

Loni Labs UCLA

WHAT IS INHERITED? GRAY MATTER DIFFERENCES ARE UNDER STRONG GENETIC CONTROL

Thompson et al. 2000

HERITABILITY OF BRAIN REGIONS

Chiang et al., 2009 Neuroscience

· Abnormalities (either increased or decreased activity) in the left temporal lobe, often the seat of aggressive thoughts

· Increased activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus, which often causes problems with repetitive thoughts and shifting attention (a person may get stuck on the aggressive thoughts that are present) and

· Decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex, leading to poor internal supervision

Spec scan of individual convicted of robbery, rape and murder.

**Dr. Daniel G. Amen, Images IntoHuman Behavior

Convicted of Two Murders

LEAD ASSOCIATED GRAY MATTER LOSS IN BRAIN: CINCINNATI LEAD STUDY COHORT

Lead-associated gray matter loss most severe in the frontal regions of brain involved in attention, executive functions, and regulation of social behaviors. Brighter areas indicate greater loss.

Average Childhood Blood Lead

Beauchaine et al., 2008

FINAL PART: INTERVENTION• UNDERSTAND YOU ARE DEALING

WITH BRAIN-BASED PROCLIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN GENETICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SHAPED

• LIFE-COURSE FACTORS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ACTUARIAL RISK ASSESSMENTS

• BIOLOGICAL FACTORS LIKELY AFFECT TREATMENT RESPONSE (IQ, TESTOSTERONE, SKIN CONDUCTIVITY, VARIETY OF TRAITS)

• EARLY INTERVENTION IS CRITICAL: START WITH PREGNANT WOMEN, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE CRIMINAL OR DRUG ADDICTED. GOOD EVIDENCE.

• NO SINGLE TX WORKS FOR ALL PEOPLE (VARIABILITY) AND SOME ARE NOT TREATABLE (PSYCHOPATHS)

• TX WORKS BETTER IF COGNITIVE/BEHAVIORAL BECAUSE IT FOCUSES ON BRAIN-BASED FACTORS

• EMPATHIC RESPONSE ON LEFT.

• BRAIN OF PSYCHOPATH ON RIGHT.

• OTHER STUDIES SHOW PSYCHOPATHS AND CD/ASP TAKE PLEASURE SEEING OTHERS IN PAIN.

LACKING EMPATHY

JUSTICE SYSTEM INTERVENTIONS• SYSTEM PLAYS IN IMPORTANT

POSITIVE ROLE

• PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST

• ARREST AND CONSEQUENCES ARE NECESSARY EVEN IF NOT ENTIRELY EFFECTIVE

• LEGAL LEVERAGE FOR INTERVENTION AND INCREASED SUPERVISION

• INCARCERATION AND PUNISHMENT PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN DESISTANCE

• EVIDENCE THAT IMMEDIATE SANCTIONS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN HARSH SANCTIONS

• ABSENCE OF SANCTIONS OR SANCTIONS THAT ARE NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH ELEVATES MISBEHAVIOR

THANK YOU….......

tracing the development of serious offending across the life-course john paul wright, phd university...

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