Therefore, the presence of high levels of testosterone is often thought to be one of the most influential hormones on criminal behavior and would explain why men are disproportionately involved in more criminal behaviors than women.
Other hormones have also been linked to criminal behaviors as well. For example, low levels of a hormone, known as cortisol, have been linked to offenders that have shown patterns of chronic offending. The reduced amount of cortisol has been shown to decrease anxiety levels. An individual who does not feel any anxiety may be more likely to commit crimes because they would be less likely to let their anxiety about committing a crime stop them before the crime is actually committed. Therefore feeling anxiety towards committing a crime could stop an individual from committing it, however if a person doesn't have anxiety due to low cortisol levels then the body does not have this...
Individuals who do not grow up in a nurturing environment can often develop physiological reactions to their environments that can led to an increased likelihood that the person will commit crimes during their lifetimes. For example, children who are constantly exposed to fear and threats may develop actual physiological changes in their bodies during development that can shape the ways in which they behave into adulthood. While more research needs to be performed to better understand the processes, most element of criminal behavior is definitely a result of an individual's physiological composition.
Works Cited
Wright, J., Tibbetts, S., & Daigle, L. (2008). Chapter 7. In Criminals in the Making. Sage Publications.
