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Scientists Seek Biomarkers For Violence

Posted by timothy on from the thoughtcrime-or-a-propensity-thereto dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A Newtown couple, both scientists, who lost their daughter in the school shooting, are wondering whether there were clues in the shooter's physiological makeup — his DNA, his blood, his brain chemistry. They are now involved in a search for biomarkers, similar to those that may indicate disease, for violence. They are raising money to help fund this research, but the effort is running into obstacles, in part, over ethical concerns. 'I'm not opposed to research on violence and biomarkers, but I'm concerned about making too big of a leap between biomarkers and violence,' said Troy Duster, a researcher at the University of California at Berkeley. There is concern that science may find biomarkers long before society can deal with its implications."

2 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. So what then? by N0Man74 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "This guy has a biomarker for violence... Shoot him! Get him before he attacks!"

    I'm reminded of the parody video from The Onion (I think) where you had a jock who was killing the misfits at his high school so that they wouldn't snap and create another columbine.

  2. There already is a biomarker for violence by Thomas+Miconi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There already is a known genetic marker for violence. In the US, bearers of this genetic marker commit 70% of all property crimes, 90% of all murders, are 9 times more likely to be imprisoned, and comprise 93% of all prison inmates.

    This marker is known as "Y chromosome".

    Think of that.