Hello, I would firstly like to thank Frances Fitzgerald and Finion McGrath for this opportunity to speak in Dail and to thank you all for your time here today.
Today, I would like to speak about crime in Ireland, but more so a phenomenon called "gender gap in offending" (1)
In the past, and up until recently, when looking into both minor and serious offences, women have been ignored from these crime statistics in both Ireland and the UK. Women displaying criminal characterises were seen to be invisible, and ignored, as well as crimes of wealthy powerful men, which are now seen as “white collar crimes” The stereotype of a criminal was normally perceived as being a white male in his early 20-30s, one of low intelligence and of a working class …show more content…
(6). While In labelling, parental acceptance of violence, neighbourhood and home violence all increase the odds that a male will be involved in crime and violence (7)
As I have previously stated, 15% of women criminals have been an inpatient in a psychiatric hospital, so it is important to take into consideration the biological factors that may determine why there is such a significant gender gap between men and women in not only Ireland but all over the world.
The biological perspective points out that genetics determines the criminal behaviour of a person. Neurochemicals trigger the behavioural tendencies of a person and patterns in the human brain. One of these neurochemicals, monoamine oxidase (MOA), is linked to antisocial behaviour and can be found in some cases of psychoses. Low levels of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) cause disinhibition, which, in turn, can result in aggression and impulsivity which can be seen in some cases of Border Line Personality Disorder (Jones 2005). MOA has inter-twining functions with other neurochemicals that have already been associated with criminal and antisocial behaviour, such as norepinephrine, dopamine, epinephrine and serotonin. Dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine are also closely linked with "the personality factor of psychosis"
Today, I would like to speak about crime in Ireland, but more so a phenomenon called "gender gap in offending" (1)
In the past, and up until recently, when looking into both minor and serious offences, women have been ignored from these crime statistics in both Ireland and the UK. Women displaying criminal characterises were seen to be invisible, and ignored, as well as crimes of wealthy powerful men, which are now seen as “white collar crimes” The stereotype of a criminal was normally perceived as being a white male in his early 20-30s, one of low intelligence and of a working class …show more content…
(6). While In labelling, parental acceptance of violence, neighbourhood and home violence all increase the odds that a male will be involved in crime and violence (7)
As I have previously stated, 15% of women criminals have been an inpatient in a psychiatric hospital, so it is important to take into consideration the biological factors that may determine why there is such a significant gender gap between men and women in not only Ireland but all over the world.
The biological perspective points out that genetics determines the criminal behaviour of a person. Neurochemicals trigger the behavioural tendencies of a person and patterns in the human brain. One of these neurochemicals, monoamine oxidase (MOA), is linked to antisocial behaviour and can be found in some cases of psychoses. Low levels of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) cause disinhibition, which, in turn, can result in aggression and impulsivity which can be seen in some cases of Border Line Personality Disorder (Jones 2005). MOA has inter-twining functions with other neurochemicals that have already been associated with criminal and antisocial behaviour, such as norepinephrine, dopamine, epinephrine and serotonin. Dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine are also closely linked with "the personality factor of psychosis"