Comments on: Murderer With “Violent Genes” Gets Lighter Sentence in Italian Court

By: Angie

Angie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:51:34 +0000

There is no direct link between unfortunate past experiences and criminal acts committed by an individual. Certain people were spoilt rotten by some of their family members and yet decided to be criminals. There are also people, who went through several kinds of hell and decided not to commit crimes. Adults make their own choices on whether they want to commit crimes or not. This also has nothing whatsoever to do with a person´s genes. Genes don´t make it impossible to make your own decisions, even violent ones. This man wasn´t retarded after all, or was he?

By: Liz

Liz — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:40:08 +0000

Why is it more excusable for someone with violent genes to commit a crime than it is for someone without violent genes to commit a crime due to unfortunate past experiences? Neither factors are directly under the criminal’s control. People make the assumption that the second type of criminal should be capable of exercising more responsibility than the first type, but they both have to control things that are acting upon their minds. Many people who have abusive past experiences do not become violent later, but many people with violent genes also do not become violent. Having both violent genes and an abusive environment together also does not guarantee that a person will become a criminal.

People should always be held accountable for their actions. If society in general accepts genetic determinism, that takes away people’s motivation to control their problematic impulses.

By: groverpm

groverpm — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:50:20 +0000

Now, what example from history can we use to show how good locking people up simply because of their genetic make-up is? Arbeit macht frei, eh bigjohn and secularist10.

By: K

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:06:59 +0000

I think that the idea is interesting if, instead of reducing the sentence, measures were taken to help rehabilitate those that are especially prone to violent behavior. Just because there’s something in our genes that may predispose us to certain things, I believe it is important not to forget that the environment will play a big role in how those genes are expressed, or NOT expressed. Perhaps the majority of the people who have these violent predispositions end up in prison. It seems like prisons teach the lesson “don’t get caught next time” instead teaching a person how to cope with violent or other criminal tendencies. If we release people from prison who are well adjusted, maybe the rest of society will feel more comfortable accepting the person back into the community.

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:32:30 +0000

That is sick! let go a murderer bearing in mind that murderer is proned to killing. What on earth are they thinking!!

Another point is that now we can identify behavior genes, if the genes are examined at the point of being born, could that help providing a better upbringing for the child that suit specific straits?

By: Billy

Billy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:52:32 +0000

Why does the judge think that sentences should be shortened for those who were predisposed to commit the crime, as opposed to lengthened for those who were *not* predisposed to commit the crime? If the majority of crimes are committed by those who were predisposed to commit them, this would have the effect of shortening sentences across the board.

By: secularist10

secularist10 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:30:17 +0000

Excellent point by bigjohn…if anything, the genetic argument should be a basis for limiting such a person’s freedom. I do think that at some point in the future, science will allow us to more precisely and completely understand just how a given individual’s actions are determined by their genes, how much by environment, how much a combination thereof, and how much free will.

Bharath, maybe Palestinian and Israeli genes?

By: bharath

bharath — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:03:48 +0000

and are there genes which make people prone to getting murdered?

By: bigjohn756

bigjohn756 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:35:39 +0000

Great logic! If the guy’s genes predispose him to violence then let him out earlier so he can get busy killing people again.