The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law

by Nita Farahany

Overview

New discoveries from neuroscience and behavioral genetics are besieging criminal law. Novel scientific perspectives on criminal behavior could transform the criminal justice system and yet are being introduced in an ad hoc and often ill-conceived manner. Bringing together experts across multiple disciplines, including geneticists, neuroscientists, philosophers, policymakers, and legal scholars, The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law is a comprehensive collection of essays that address the emerging science from behavioral genetics and neuroscience and its developing impact on the criminal justice system. The essays survey how the science is and will likely be used in criminal law and the policy and the ethical issues that arise from its use for criminal law and for society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199773305
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/13/2011
Pages:	540
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Nita Farahany is associate professor of law and an associate professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University Law School. Her teaching and research areas of expertise are law and biology (behavioral genetics, genetics, neuroscience, psychiatry), and law and philosophy (wrongfulness, responsibility and punishment theory).

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

PART I: THE SCIENCE OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT
BEHAVIORAL GENETICS: THE SCIENCE OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR

MISINFORMATION, MISREPRESENTATION, AND MISUSE OF HUMANBEHAVIORAL GENETICS RESEARCH

THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

PART II: CONSIDERING THE BROADER CONTEXT
BEHAVIORAL GENETICS AND CRIME, IN CONTEXT

CONSIDERING CONVERGENCE: A POLICY DIALOGUE ABOUT
BEHAVIORAL GENETICS, NEUROSCIENCE, AND LAW

"WHO KNOWS WHAT EVIL LURKS IN THE HEARTS OF MEN?: BEHAVIORAL GENOMICS, NEUROSCIENCE, CRIMINAL LAW, AND THE SEARCH FOR HIDDEN KNOWLEDGE"

PART III: REVISITING CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY
GENETICS, NEUROSCIENCE AND CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

ADDICTION, SCIENCE AND CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

PART IV: IMPLICATIONS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SOCIETY

GENOMICS, BEHAVIOR, AND TESTIMONY AT CRIMINAL TRIALS

BEHAVIORAL GENETICS EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL CASES: 1994-2007

BEHAVIORAL GENETICS RESEARCH AND CRIMINAL DNA DATABASES: LAWS AND POLICIES

GENETIC PREDICTIONS OF FUTURE DANGEROUSNESS: IS THERE A BLUEPRINT FOR VIOLENCE?

THE SCARLET GENE: BEHAVIORAL GENETICS, CRIMINAL LAW, AND
RACIAL AND ETHNIC STIGMA

APPENDIX

APPENDIX TO: BEHAVIORAL GENETICS EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL CASES: 1994-2007

Index

Editorial Reviews

"Recent developments in behavioral genetics have tremendous potential for understanding crime; yet they also create great dangers of abuse in criminal trials as well as policies. These profound and important issues are discussed in depth from various disciplinary perspectives by the prominent and learned contributors to this well-organized and accessible volume. It should be read by anyone interested in where our legal system is headed."
—Walter Sinnott-Armstrong,
Dartmouth College, Co-director, MacArthur Law and Neuroscience Project

From the Publisher