IELTS Writing Task 2: Crime and Human Nature
Many researchers believe that we can now study the behaviour of children to see if they will grow up to be criminals, while others disagree.
To what extent do you think crime is determined by genetics?
Is it possible to stop children from growing up to be criminals?
There are many psychologists today who believe that crime comes from inborn, genetic characteristics. In my opinion, genetics play a small role in criminal behaviour and it is much more sensible to combat crime by looking to family circumstances.
Those who believe strongly in the role of genetics in determining future behaviour can point to case examples and hard data. It is very common for the children of violent criminals to display some degree of abnormal behaviour as children and later in life. Scientists can ground their theories of crime by mapping the genetic code of an individual and then identifying similarities between the family members of criminals. However, their results may uncover some genetic factors but it is much more likely that a child raised by a criminal will simply have a poor upbringing and social factors will explain their anti-social behaviour. This is supported by recent research into developmental psychology showing the physical changes that occur in brain formation as a result of upbringing.
Therefore, it is largely possible to prevent most crime by taking an active, positive role in childcare. A good counter-example of this comes from the case studies of serials killers. Without exception, all serial killers came from abusive, broken homes. The physical and sexual abuse present in their childhood, later manifested itself in their compulsions to exert power over others. Naturally, this does not mean that abuse necessarily leads to crime, as many others overcome their difficult backgrounds to become well-adjusted adults. It does, however, imply a large proportion of criminal behaviour can be prevented by a supportive family environment. Knowing that they are loved and accepted by their parents, will make children less likely to seek attention through bad behaviour or abuse drugs to cope with their problems, both of which are early indicators of possible criminality.
In conclusion, though nature may be a marginal factor in criminal psychology, I believe that emphasis on the social environment is the real key to fighting crime. It is therefore important to invest in social services, education, and child welfare programs.
VOCABULARY
- inborn gentic, passed down
- genetic characteristics qualities from your ancestors
- play a small role not much of an impact
- sensible makes sense
- combat crime fight crime
- looking to family circumstances considering upbringing
- determining future behaviour causing how they behave later
- point to argue
- case examples real world instances
- hard data numbers, research
- violent criminals people who hurt others
- display show
- abnormal behaviour deviant actions
- later in life as they get older
- ground their theories find evidence for what they think
- mapping the genetic code DNA mapping
- identifying similarities finding what is the same
- uncover some genetic factors find DNA evidence
- poor upbringing raised in a bad family
- social factors what comes from parents, society
- explain show the reason for
- anti-social behaviour not acting within the bounds of society
- supported by recent research evidence from studies
- developmental psychology the study of how minds develop
- physical changes differences in the body
- brain formation how the brain develops
- upbringing being raised
- largely mostly
- prevent most crime stop a lot of crime
- active not passive
- positive role big part in
- childcare taking care of kids
- good counter-example instance that shows the opposite
- comes from result from
- case studies examples
- serials killers people who kill multiple people
- without exception all follow this rule
- abusive being hurt
- broken homes unhappy families
- physical related to the body
- sexual abuse being hurt/used in a sexual way
- later manifested afterwards takes the form of
- compulsions uncontrollable desires
- exert power over others hurt other people
- Naturally obviously
- necessarily leads to will always cause
- overcome be better than
- difficult backgrounds tough upbringing
- well-adjusted adults normal people
- imply suggest
- large proportion a lot of
- prevented stopped
- supportive family environment good family
- accepted not rejected
- less likely probably not going to happen
- seek attention want people to engage with them
- abuse drugs to cope with their problems take drugs to feel better
- early indicators signals
- possible criminality potential criminal behaviour
- nature genetics
- marginal factor not that important
- emphasis focus on
- social environment family and society
- real key crucial part
- fighting crime combatting crime
- invest give money to
- social services welfare programs to help people in need
- child welfare programs services to help kids
