LETTER : Criminals are made, not bred
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: May I make just two points of clarification on your report "Scientist denounces criminal gene theory" (13 February)?
It was my hyperbole in a brief phone call with Tom Wilkie that led to the reference to the US young male homicide rate having doubled; the actual death rate rose 54 per cent between 1985 and 1994. But what I have never done is to deny "that individual differences in human behaviour have a genetic" basis.
Every human except identical twins is genetically unique, and all including identical twins are environmentally unique. Of course, individual genetic differences contribute to differences between who and how we are as humans - no biologist could possibly argue anything else.
However, if we are asked what accounts for the alarming level of violent crime in the US, or for that matter to rather less alarming ones in Britain, to provide the answer "something about the genes of American (or British) citizens" is as foolish and unhelpful as it would be to answer "something about the molecular composition of handguns".
The question is being posed at the wrong level, and good science, like good social policy, means finding the determining level at which to ask and answer questions. Deal with the handguns, the poverty, injustice, racism and lack of social hope, and I suspect the molecules and genes will largely look after themselves. Your leading article ("No natural born killers", 13 February) got it spot on.
Yours faithfully,
Steven Rose
Brain and Behaviour Research Group
Faculty of Science
The Open University
Milton Keynes
13 February
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments