The brain is the key to our existence and carrying out daily functions, whether we are aware of the process or not as it is carried out. This factor becomes important as well when understanding the role of development with criminal involvement. The male brain is different in several ways to the female brain not only in size but in structure as well. The average male brain weighs around 11% more than the female brain (Craig et al. , 2004, 270).
The differences in the structure are in certain regions, for example the cerebrum, frontal and medial paralimbic cortices, the fronto –medial cortex, the amygdala, and the hypothalamus. These areas of the brain control different behaviors as well as actions and reactions that can contribute to criminal activity for an individual. When dealing with structural volumes, it is important to note that the frontal and medial paralimbic cortices are larger in women than in men.
For men, the fronto-medial cortex, amygdala and hypothalamus are larger than in women. The structures within the brain that are dealing with criminality that have been identified as important are the frontal and temporal lobes. The frontal lobe is the control center of the brain for making decisions and moral judgments within our lives and is larger for women, but this doesn’t mean that it automatically puts women in a better position to makes these types of judgments within life.
This part of the brain also helps regulate the emotional drive that goes into the decision making process and if that is unchecked or uncontrolled can lead to poor decisions, involvement within antisocial behaviors, and interactions within society. The amygdala and hippocampus also deals with emotions, feelings of survival functions, and social responses. This being a larger structure for men leads to the understanding that men are inclined to be more aggressive and willing to use aggression at a faster pace than women. These regions also help an individual process the fear of punishment and immediate threats.
This is important to keep in mind for the fact that the involvements of antisocial behaviors are thought to be detoured for individuals by threats of punishment such as incarceration, loss of family and/or job. Communication between the parts of the brain show to be more developed within the female brain that allows each side to communicate faster and more efficiently in the cause and affects of actions and emotion, this is not to say that it is better for women than man or it will detour certain behaviors of an individual.
The evidence suggests that females are more strongly influenced by their internal mechanisms, such as moral beliefs and shame than males are. (Wright et al. , 2015, 135) Thus, with the amygdala and the hypothalamus being bigger in males this could contribute to the fact that they react more to the negative things or negative effects occurring. Therefore, it has been suggested that woman are able to bond with more individuals and continue the bonds, which in turn could help detour antisocial behaviors with the negative impact it may cause with those within their social structures.
Not all things are related just to the structure of the brain, hormones also play a part of how the brain functions as well. This information tells us that there is a higher level of testosterone within the male system and that men have been known to be 20 times more aggressive than females in most cultures at any given time. A male individual is more likely to be involved in serious violent offenses such as murder, armed robbery, and participate more in risk taking and sensation seeking behaviors. Wright et. al, 2015, 134)
It is not to say that women don’t participate in these types of crimes however, there is a greater likelihood for males. Men also have a greater risk of dependence issues and personality disorders that also set a path for antisocial involvement, which could lead to continued criminal involvement and are 5 times more likely to be under correctional supervision for criminal offenses. Women do not escape these issues that can also lead down this path towards correctional supervision.
The knowledge that women are dealing with interrelationship connections can lead them to commit crimes dealing with small groups or those crimes dealing with failed connections such as prostitution or property type crimes. While most consider the social and societal pulls as the most important predictor of criminal involvement and social behaviors, there is evidence to support that those are not the only factor. The differences are not only within the structure of the brain and the way it communicates within the different regions that helps us understand how individuals react and become involved with antisocial behaviors.
This information with the closing gap of accountability within the legal system and how criminal involvement is viewed by both genders will begin to show a true reflection of how each gender is participating within the system. Thus, awareness at a young age is imperative to understanding and further research. The truth, of course is that men and women are equal but this does not mean that they are, on average, the same.
