Sex Differences in Criminal Behavior: A Genetic Analysis

Criminologists have long debated whether the risk factors for criminal behavior differ for males and females. Previous studies have predominantly focused on whether environmental risk factors for criminal behavior vary by gender, with little to no investigation of the impact of genetic sex differences. That is, whether the same genetic risk factors are relevant to offending for males and females and whether genetic risk factors have a stronger effect on criminal behavior for one gender (versus the other). Using data from the Add Health (140 MZ males, 135 MZ females, 124 DZ males, 118 DZ females, and 186 DZ opposite-sex twin pairs), the results from the qualitative and quantitative sex difference analyses revealed that the same genetic factors are influencing criminal behaviors in males and females and that the magnitude of the genetic effects on criminal behavior does not differ across the sexes. The implications of these findings are discussed from a biosocial approach to the study of criminal behavior.