To Örebro University

Biological risk factors for crime have been largely neglected within main-stream criminology. However, a large body of research has over the past few decades converged on the conclusion that it is important to consider biological risk factors for crime, as they may help to inform theory and etiology. We are gaining more knowledge about the biological underpinnings of crime in a rapidly evolving research field, but many questions remain to be answered.

The overarching goal with the present dissertation was to expand the knowledge about biological risk factors, including adverse perinatal events and psychophysiology, for crime. Specifically, Study I aimed to examine the associations between adverse perinatal events and offspring crime in men and women respectively. Study II aimed to examine associations for resting heart rate and systolic blood pressure with reoffending in men. Study III aimed to examine associations for resting heart rate with crime in women. Lastly, Study IV aimed to synthesize existing evidence on the relationship between psychopathic personality and aversive startle potentiation. These aims were pursued through three studies utilizing Swedish population-based registers (Study I, Study II, and Study III), as well as one systematic review (Study IV).

Taken together, the overall findings of the present dissertation suggest that biological risk factors are important for crime in various ways. Biological risk factors represent an important step forward to broaden our understanding of crime and may have the potential to inform theory and etiology as well as to ultimately improve prediction, prevention, and intervention strategies.