BBC NEWS | Talking Point | Can you be born a criminal?

Anti-social behaviour and crime may be down to genetic make-up, scientists say.

Researchers from King's College in London have found that boys who have a particular version of a gene are much more likely to be troublemakers if they suffer maltreatment when young.

The discovery raises the possibility that drugs may be developed in the future to combat crime, according to the scientists.

But critics are worried that youngsters could be identified as potential criminals before they have committed any crime.

They are also worried about governments using drugs to fight crime instead of addressing fundamental social problems.

Do you think that anti-social behaviour is in our genes? Should susceptible people be treated with drugs?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

Your reaction

Yet another excuse for people to blame their misfortune on anything but themselves. I'd like to see people take on more (and not less) responsibility for their actions, but then maybe I have an aberrant gene.
Guru S., USA

No, people are not born criminal. They may be brought up to think that criminal activity and antisocial behaviour is acceptable, but that would be the result of poor parenting. The only time that I think drugs would be appropriate would be if the behaviour was caused by a chemical imbalance which could only be put right by medication. Why don't parents take any responsibility anymore?
Emma, England

It is all about choices made by the individual

Vishal Rao, UK

I feel it is all about choices made by the individual. The environment and circumstances provide the person with the choices. Some people make bad choices. Trying to blame it on the genes is a further attempt by the West's to point the finger at somebody or something else! Grow up!
Vishal Rao, UK

This research is a defence lawyers dream. If you add it to all of the other "excuses" as to why people are not responsible for their actions it tips the scales yet further in favour of criminals. I believe that there are two fundamental principles for keeping law and order. One is that you bring children up to respect other people and their property. Secondly for those are not prepared to accept that the penalty for breaking the law is so harsh that people do not do it. I appreciate that this is very simple view, however it also works!
Chris P, UK

There is a vast difference between being determined at birth and being inclined at birth. Being determined means you cannot do otherwise but inclinations can be directed. Birth determination is an abdication of autonomy and rationality and a denial of human nature as is understood classically and traditionally in the West.
Richard Borda, USA

Genetics is secondary to the psychological harm caused by maltreatment

Leigh, USA/(UK

I can see only one contributor here that mentions the fact that maltreatment when young is a factor along side the genetic factor. It seems likely that genetics is secondary to the psychological harm caused by maltreatment and this study is therefore hardly something new.
Leigh, USA/(UK

What has been found about schizophrenia is similar - two separate factors combine, one genetic, the other psychological. With crime, if we were lazy enough to try to remove only the genetic factor our society would still be left with the psychological problems - these would come out in many ways other than crime, which is only the tip of the iceberg. Of course there are those who only care about their property, but they have an incomplete relationship with the world they live in.
Jonathan Kerr, UK

Many social structures have developed to manage genetic dispositions. The increased number of crimes may also be due to the breakdown of previous structures which largely controlled anti-social tendencies. I agree that good parenting is essential, but currently parents are fighting a losing battle against children's popular media, which emphasises getting what you want at all costs, where greed and self interest are promoted as more important than respect for others and their possessions.
PK, UK

I can believe that one might be born with a propensity for a particular behaviour pattern. Criminality is a human invention, but one might be born with an aggressive streak or an abundance of testosterone or some kind of "insanity" by "normal" standards. But my opinion (based solely on my own personal guess) is that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the makeup of a person.
Giuseppe Romani, Italy/United States

As usual there are those who would like to see simple causal links which can be dealt with in a simple manner without too much thought or effort. These "solutions" are far from it in fact, it's often just a political move to calm and enforce certain agendas and maintain a power base.

It is well known that environmental influences can "switch" on or trigger the action of a certain gene, the findings mentioned in the report support this i.e. they said the effect is produced when the child is treated a certain way. This either means the effect is produced as a direct result of only this treatment or as a result of the switching on of the gene or a combination of both. It does not directly support the contention that genes alone "cause" such behaviour or in fact that these drugs will control their effects.
Frank Bierbrauer, Australia

Criminals are not born they are made. When the social, emotional and psychological needs of a child are neither articulated nor met, deprivation syndrome sets in, resulting in a child's unruly and hostile behaviour. As he grows up, he has no sense of belonging; is emotionally traumatized when he sees his parents separated or divorced. Poverty intensifies his urge to indulge in bravado activities to prove they are somebody and accepted by the group. The social and economic factors lead him into criminal activities.
Dr.Rajinder Sehgal, Canada.

Is there a gene for simple-mindedness? Why do people insist on simplistic answers to complex problems? Do genes play a role in aggressive or other antisocial behaviour? Of course. Does environment and experience play a role? Of course. Do social rewards, incentives, and punishments play a role? Of course. Do social, biochemical, and other surrounding factors influence the expression or action of genes? Most likely. Bottom line: these things are complex; get over it and stop expecting simple answers.
Peter Nelson, USA

As with intelligence, a basic criminal instinct might be something that we're born with. But like intelligence it's entirely up to our environment what's done with it. If a child with a criminal instinct is brought up in a stable and law abiding family it will most probably manifest itself as a thrill seeker who likes extreme sports for instance. If this child is however brought up in a home with no respect for rules or regulations, with no discipline and where the parents don't take any notice of him or her I'm sure there's a greater chance of them turning to crime. But don't use genetics as an excuse, tackle the real problem which is how parents bring up their children.
Christine, UK

It seems that there is always some study that supports the drug companies in their quest to get everyone on some sort of mind control.
Heather, USA

Instead of locking up law-breakers and spending millions of pounds trying to stop people doing what they want at the expense of everyone else, the solution must be to make it worthwhile to keep to the laws we have, and to have incentives for people to "not get into trouble".
Martin, London, England

Behaviour is only a combination of environmental and genetic factors

Bodi, India/ USA

If I have learnt anything from my bio-psychology classes, it is this: Genes alone do not determine behaviour. Behaviour is only a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Even diseases which were previously thought to have a pure genetic basis are perplexing scientists because individuals with those genes do not develop the disease in a large percentage of cases (sometimes as high as 40%).
Bodi, India/ USA

The danger in this type of research is the attempts at social engineering that flow from it. We have already heard about the drugs that will be developed to prevent antisocial behaviour. One wonders whether these drugs will be administered equally to accountants and politicians like Lord Archer as to impoverished young black males.
Tim Watkins, Wales

Good idea Rob Anderson. Unfortunately it's a bit like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. I don't know whether you've noticed but society doesn't have any manners or self-discipline anymore and certainly does not know the difference between right and wrong - or maybe they just don't care.
T Norman, UK

Good parenting and decent role models can help to keep somebody on the straight and narrow. Let's not start picking on people who are more prone, but instead focus on teaching right and wrong, good manners, and self-discipline. Our country would be a much better place.
Rob Anderson, UK

With genetic conditions would you not expect a similar proportion of the population to suffer each generation? How come the proportion of people who commit crime is increasing?
Steve, UK

People become criminals partially due to the environment they operate in

Brandon, Arizona, USA

What a ridiculous study. While it's true that humans are born with a tendency to want to do what's wrong for personal gain or pleasure, criminals are not born so. I don't believe they will find the "criminal" gene in anyone's DNA. People become criminals partially due to the environment they operate in and through relationships with those who try to influence them to do wrong. At the end of the day though the choice to commit a crime is the individual's.
Brandon, Arizona, USA

I for one don't believe that anti-social behaviour is in our genes. Society and environment in which each one lives in certainly plays a big role in our behaviour. If our children are brought up in a violent and obscure society, then there are great chances that they will also be immensely influenced by such a society.
Nelson Petronilho, Portugal

Is a pension fund manager who carries out unnecessary transactions for the commission a 'genetic criminal'? Is an MP who lies to the Commons a 'genetic criminal'? Are Customs Staff who perpetrate illegal acts 'genetic criminals'?
Steve, UK

I think our genes do have a lot to do with our behaviour. For example, psychopaths have a particular part of the brain that is under-developed, which in ordinary people would prevent such anti-social acts. So this is just an extension of it. This would also explain why some victims of child abuse go on to become abusers, but some don't.
Gaz, London, UK

This is eugenics through the back door

Alex, UK

This is a bit dodgy! I think this is eugenics through the back door. If you are a criminal, you break the law. People who commit crimes do so generally because of their environmental influences. Using criminality to push through eugenics is a cheap way of neutralising a very vulnerable section of society.
Alex, UK

Drugging children to make them behave; whatever next? Teach children how to behave and punish them properly when they don't and it is amazing what can be achieved.
PJ Carr, UK

A convenient excuse for a defence lawyer!!

Rich, England

I doubt that genes alone are responsible for people turning to crime. I think that factors such lack of opportunity, drug addiction, and also increasing consumerism, probably play a more important role. I suppose it would be a convenient excuse for a defence lawyer!!
Rich, England

The government should think first of protecting these children from maltreatment, not protecting the public from them once they've grown. Once again the government shows itself to be heartless.
Helen, UK

I cannot believe that people are criminals through pure genetics. However I firmly believe that criminals breed criminals. A child who grows up in a household where criminal activity is thought to be acceptable is almost certainly going to become anti-social.
Andy, UK

Genes seem to be used as a scapegoat for all manner of problems without the real causes being investigated

Sarah, UK

I agree with the comments of Andy, UK. Crime is not down to people's genes, but down to how they are brought up. We have a problem locally with youths causing damage to monuments but when you say anything to their parents you are met with 'well they are only kids'. Genes seem to be getting used as a scapegoat for all manner of problems without the real causes being investigated.
Sarah, UK

Brilliant - a scientific excuse to blame someone or something else, rather than take responsibility for my own actions!
Nina, UK

If it's genetic then why is this anti-social behaviour such a recent phenomenon? I'm always being told that people didn't behave so badly in the old days (whenever that was) and even when I was a child there didn't seem to be so much anti-social behaviour around. If it was caused genetically then surely it would have been around forever.
Tony Carr, UK

The proposed link between the gene, monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), and violence in young people needs to be viewed with caution to avoid falling into the trap of genetic determinism. By and large we are not behaviourally trapped by our genes, can all make choices, and having the variant of one particular gene is unlikely to be an individually significant risk factor for violence. I have not seen any data, but there is the great likelihood of many other environmental, and possibly genetic factors, operating in antisocial behaviour.
Andy, England

Virtually all types of behaviour are affected by our genes, and there is no reason why anti-social behaviour should be different. It is the job of society to mould the personalities of the members of that society so that these members behave in a socially acceptable way. It is obvious that some people have characters that are less easily socialised than others, but the use of drugs to socialise them is certainly a step too far.
Phil, UK

Human genes are not conscious and so do not know what it is to be criminal. Crime is a human condition, a result of tens of thousands of years of evolution whereby we can impose a concept of 'crime' upon our society. 'Criminal' activities in modern society might have been primitive survival inclinations 10,000 years before.
Mick Deal, UK

It is frightening what people will believe

Andrew Ball, UK

It is frightening what people will believe of scientists these days! The results of this research have led to this particular THEORY, please do not purport this as absolute fact - I mean there is no mention whether the female of the species also have this same genetic predisposition.
Andrew Ball, UK

This is utterly pathetic, and is just a modern version of the studies into the shapes of criminals heads performed in the last century.
Julian, England

This looks horribly like the sort of things the Nazis spouted during their early years. I'm greatly concerned over the sort of things that this may lead to.
Pete B, UK

Are we just a collection of cells and neurons?

Mo, UK

An interesting idea but it really makes you wonder whether we have free will in our deeds. Are we just a collection of cells and neurons that govern our actions? Personally I think it's too early to suggest that these findings are fact. More research is needed - not just in our genes but also in the relationship between our sentience/id and our physical bodies
Mo, UK

What rubbish. This is typical of society's desire to research, label and pigeonhole everything. Is the same as the "fat" gene which compels people to eat four cheeseburgers in one sitting..? Wake up people and take some responsibility for a change.
Tom, UK

The point which concerns me about this finding is its future use in court. Persistent criminals may use this as an excuse for their behaviour, leading to leaner sentences or simply a course of pills or injections. If we're going to try this, why not also give the methods in the Clockwork Orange a go as well?!
Rob, Netherlands (UK ex-pat)

This sounds a lot like Minority Report

CM, UK

This sounds a lot like Minority Report. Here we have yet another way for drugs companies to constantly dope kids with drugs and governments to defer their social responsibilities to large corporations.
CM, UK

I agree it could be genetic. But susceptible children don't need drugs, they need to brought up properly by parents who know right from wrong and are prepared to discipline them properly. Too many liberals bring up children who have no idea how to behave, no respect for any thing or anyone and above all no fear of doing wrong. Victorian upbringing seems a good idea.
Dale, UK

Genetic make-up could make an individual more anti-social but we have seen such a massive upsurge within the last few decades, that this alone seems unlikely to be the main reason. Those same years have seen a massive rise in one-parent families, a lowering of moral standards in general, plus a seeming lack of resolve by society to confront difficult issues. If this can be achieved, the need to employ drug therapy would be greatly diminished. However the idea of compulsory drug treatment smacks of totalitarianism, sets a very dangerous precedent and is totally unacceptable.
Warran Rolnis, England

Many crimes are committed by the wealthy

R Callister, UK

Despite what social studies suggest, crime is not always linked to social inequality and peer group pressure. Many crimes are committed by the wealthy. The fundamental reason for all crime is the ability to disregard the knowledge of what is right and wrong - something we all possess; this can be seen in the fact that almost everyone drives over the speed limit. Suggesting it lies in our genes sounds like a feeble attempt a lawyer would use to reduce the sentence of their client. It is simply a human trait that we are all capable of.
R Callister, UK

This is the first step on the dark path to the world in Gattaca, where children with a high probability of heart problems cannot attend schools because the school insurance won't cover them. If I have this gene does that mean all unsolved crime in my area is my fault?
Michael Pearce, UK

I find it very hard to believe that you can genetically not know the difference between right and wrong. However it is possible to just not care. I have seen this with my own eyes. What is proven is that children follow what their parents show them. I'd put all of our behaviour down to our parents if I put my hand on my heart.
Mel, London, UK

It's highly unlikely that anti-social behaviour is possible in humans right from the start. I feel that it's our surroundings and environment that affect our mental makeup. Using drugs on susceptible people will be like telling someone how to think, or monopolising the human race.
Paviter Singh, Singapore

I'm not worried that my behaviour may be partially influenced by my genes - those genes were obviously successful enough to ensure their code would last another generation. The danger is in either tampering with so-called 'problem' genes. How do you know that altering one won't have an adverse side effect or discriminate against innocent people on the basis of their criminal potential? The study in question actually showed that maltreatment of children was to blame for criminal behaviour, and that this was exacerbated by some people's genes. It seems to me that this is the price society must be willing to pay for the maltreatment of children.
Rick, UK