Is there a criminal mind

¶ … Criminal Mind"?

There is much controversy regarding the concept of a criminal mind and its existence, as while some prefer to believe that criminals can be corrected, others are certain that some individuals actually have a criminal mind, which is responsible for them being predisposed to committing illegalities. It is difficult to determine when a person has a criminal mind and it is especially difficult to determine whether or not a criminal mind can exist. Society has always shown interest in criminals and in finding out their thinking through time, with nonfiction crime novels having experienced notable recognition from the masses. The concept of a criminal mind has gradually emerged as one of the most fascinating ideas ever, as it virtually perceived as an insight regarding how criminals think and because it presents society with the thought that some people's tendency to perform criminal acts cannot be repressed.

By learning more about the criminal mind, authorities are enabled to respond to crimes and even prevent them from happening with more effectiveness. To a certain degree, however, one might be inclined to consider that some people prefer to believe that a criminal mind actually exists in an attempt to motivate certain illegal acts, as it is apparently impossible for them to accept the performances that some individuals do.

Regardless of the fact that there might actually be a criminal mind, it is very likely for that respective standard to be inapplicable to all persons who have committed several illegalities across their lives. The concept however applies to particular individuals who are accustomed to performing crimes and who have been this way from the moment when they were born. Given that there are also people who commit crimes frequently and who are less likely to possess a criminal mind, it is very difficult to differentiate this group from persons who are in reality congenital criminals. The correction system is normally recognized for the fact that it prevents individuals from performing crimes when they are released. Some of those who actually commit illegalities consequent to their release from prison apparently do so because of a biological condition, and not necessarily because of other factors.

Society has trouble understanding why crime is so attractive to the public, as most people put across particular interest in learning more about crimes. In spite of its advancement, technology cannot presently identify individuals who have a criminal mind and it is up to juries to determine whether or not certain people have committed illegal acts as a result of their predisposition to do so. Considering the weapon some criminals use and the parts of the victim's body that they strike, one can understand if the perpetrators actually wanted to murder their victims. "Intent can also be supported by evidence of flight, motive, or other behaviors consistent with intentional behavior" (Brown & Murphy, 2010). However, as self-explanatory as these methods of determining one's interest in committing a crime are, they are indirect and they cannot separate the criminal state of mind from the actual act. This respective differentiation is extremely important in understanding the criminal mind and how it works.

The concept of a criminal mind is very old and its Latin equivalent is called mens rea. Although the mens rea is normally used to determine if a criminal only committed an illegality because of the unfortunate circumstances that he or she found himself or herself in or not, it is very important in understanding the criminal mind. In order to better comprehend a criminal's intentions at the time when he or she committed a crime, one would practically have to read the respective individual's mind. Given that this is not possible, people are required to understand the criminal mind, how it works, and what triggers it. In this case, neuroimaging is one of the best and only alternatives to reading a person's mind. However, the neuroimaging process would have to be performed exactly when the criminal performs a crime in order to understand more about his brain status, as mental states change and the criminal can think differently in diverse circumstances. In contrast to mental states, however, genes remain the same throughout one's life and authorities can actually understand if a criminal had a criminal mind or not by studying them (Gregoriou, 2003).

There have apparently been cases when criminals received less severe sentences on account of their nature, as psychiatrists determined that their genetics predisposed them to committing violent acts when they were provoked. "Abnormalities were found in five genes that have been linked to violent behavior. One of these genes encodes an enzyme called MAOA -- metabolizing enzyme monoamine oxidase a. Previous research has associated low levels of MAOA expression with aggression and criminal conduct in boys raised in abusive environments" (Arnold, 2009). In spite of the fact that virtually anyone is capable of committing a crime if presented with the right environment to do so, some people are apparently more likely to do so than others. It is difficult to determine if some people are either unable or unwilling to comply with the rules that society tries to impose on them.

Especially considering the existence of criminal gene, some might consider that it is immoral to lock people up for the crimes that they commit, as the respective criminals would probably put across normal behavior if it was not for their genes. However, it does not seem right to justify one's behavior just by relating to the person's genes. Considering the nature vs. nurture debate, it is only safe to assume that an individual is also influenced by the environment that he or she lives in when performing a crime.