Case Analysis: Nature vs. Nurture

Scenario: In a small, economically struggling town, there lived a family notorious for their involvement in criminal activities. The head of the family, John, was a seasoned criminal with a long history of burglary and drug dealing.

Despite his efforts to provide for his family through legitimate means, the lack of job opportunities and his own criminal record led him back to a life of crime.

John’s children were raised in an environment where illegal activities were the norm. His eldest son, Alex, became involved in drug trafficking, while his daughter, Sarah, engaged in petty theft and fraud. The youngest son, Mike, though still in high school, has already begun to show interest in joining his family’s criminal endeavors but has also expressed interest in becoming a lawyer.

Assignment: For this Touchstone, answer the following prompt: Since these children have a parent who has a criminal record, do you think their involvement in crime is a result of inherited genes or the environment? The assignment should be 500–750 words double-spaced.

In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Prepare Your Thoughts

You have learned about biological and psychological theories of criminology in Unit 3. Reread the lessons in 3.1 and 3.2 to reacclimate yourself with the material associated with the ideas related to the nature vs. nurture debate. As you are reading, jot down some notes from these lessons that might help you address the prompt. Look for ideas that examine the genetic predisposition to criminal behavior and compare them with ideas that highlight the impact of environmental factors, such as family dynamics or other external influences.
Start a Word or Google document and get ready to write!

Step 2: Write Your Response

In your response, describe how the overall biological and psychological views on criminology would explain John’s children’s involvement in criminal activity. Write 2–3 sentences on each view. Then, use at least one theory in the biological or psychological theory group to support your answer to the question of whether the children’s involvement in crime is a result of inherited genes or their environment. Additionally, identify one counterargument to your nature or nurture position, using another of the theories as support, to indicate that you understand the other side of the debate. Support your response with evidence from 2–3 Sophia tutorials.
HINT
Criminologists use American Psychological Association (APA) format for their research. Here is how to format an in-text APA citation for a Sophia tutorial:
(Genetics, 2024)

Step 3: Create a Reference Page

You have used evidence and information from at least 2–3 Sophia tutorials to support your responses. Now, develop a reference page. Your reference page should list these tutorials.

 

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