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Scientists Discover 'Crime Gene'

Posted by michael on from the put-your-crime-genes-on dept.

Buggernut writes "Researchers from King's College in London have found that boys who have a particular version of a gene are much more likely to go off the rails if they suffer maltreatment when young." MAO breaks down a whole class of brain-affecting chemicals, and MAO inhibitors are commonly used to treat depression (but are known to produce mood swings and violence). So if you have a genetic predisposition to low levels of MAO, your resistance to various mood-altering chemicals is lowered. You ever get the feeling that we're tinkering with a hugely complex system and observing only one or two of the most pronounced effects?

2 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. New pre-employment test by moncyb · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Now they will probably test everyone for this gene along with drugs. Everyone that happens to have this gene won't be able to get a job. Just substitute "crime gene" for Jew, and we have Nazi Germany all over again...

  2. social vs. biological by tfoudray · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The most startling aspect of this is, imo, that this gives people the ability to blame social problems on biological factors. People are more and more able to ignore the social factors that lead to crime, and listen only to the "it's not my fault" attitude that things like "crime genes" allow.