title: "Bad genes" & criminal responsibility.
abstract: The genetics of the accused is trying to break into the courts. To date several candidate genes have been put forward and their links to antisocial behavior have been examined and documented with some consistency. In this paper, we focus on the so called "warrior gene", or the low-activity allele of the MAOA gene, which has been most consistently related to human behavior and specifically to violence and antisocial behavior. In preparing this paper we had two objectives. First, to summarize and analyze the current scientific evidence, in order to gain an in depth understanding of the state of the issue and determine whether a dominant line of generally accepted scientific knowledge in this field can be asserted. Second, to derive conclusions and put forward recommendations related to the use of genetic information, specifically the presence of the low-activity genotype of the MAOA gene, in modulation of criminal responsibility in European and US courts.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales. Universidad de Córdoba, Spain. Electronic address: fd1gotam@uco.es.
authors.forename: María Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: González-Tapia
authors.affiliation: Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Obsuth
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007298:Insanity Defense; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence
chemical_list: D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; C579458:monoamine oxidase A, human
keywords: Continental and Common Law legal systems; Criminal responsibility; Fury and provocation; Genetic and environmental interaction; MAOA