Is there a criminal gene?

Is there a such thing as one having a predisposition for criminal behavior due to genetic makeup or is it purely environmental? For me, this notion became an intriguing subject as I partook in a sociology class last semester. We, as a class, were required to read a book that directly addressed this issue through a biographical story of a notorious criminal, Willie Bosket, Jr. I immediately took a strong interest in his story while reading this book, and it successfully shed light on both arguments. Is it nature vs nurture, that is, is criminality genetic or does it strictly depend on one's upbringing? Well I believe it's a hybrid version of both arguments: science and culture.

There have been studies done with attempts to analyze both arguments, for example, is there any truth when a mother says to her son "you're going to end up in prison just like your father."? Well in 1997, 48% of state prisoners reported that family members had been to prison, according to a Justice Department analysis for USA TODAY. But a critical question when coming to any conclusion from this analysis is: were these family members actual members of the same household, and if they weren't, would genetics justify this reasoning? There have been some studies dealing with the correlation between neurochemicals in the brain and criminality/antisocial behavior. In a nutshell, these findings revealed that there are neurochemicals in the brain like serotonin that play an important role in the personality traits of depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. "Studies point to serotonin as one of the most important central neuro-transmitters underlying the modulation of impulsive aggression" (Lowenstein, 2003). Similarly, low levels of serotonin have been found to be associated with impulsive behavior and emotional aggression.

This study presents a relevant argument for genetics, but what about one's environment? It's fathomable that genes may possess importance, but combined with environmental stress like being maltreated as a child, abused, or limited to a single parent all may very well contribute to the high risk of becoming a criminal. And could these genes simply be predispositions for being bold, courageous, and fearless? In this sense, could these genes be effective or important when considering honorable soldiers who will fight for our country?

Although these are all interesting aspects, there can't be enough possible evidence to specifically conclude that it's genetics over environment or visa versa, but regardless these types of personalities or characteristic traits must be addressed; not to the extent of controlled breeding, but through behavior modification at early signs or stages of life.