The Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex in the brain. The ACC has many different autonomic functions, it regulates blood pressure, heart rate, and also has a lot to do with decision making, and impulse control.
The studied that was done here focused on the levels of ACC found in brain scans of inmates. They found that inmates who had pretty low levels of Anterior cingulate activity were TWICE as likely to re-offend than those inmates who had higher levels. The study looked at 96 adult male offenders aged 20-52, who had all volunteered for the study. The time period lasted for up to 4 years, so that they could later do brain scans on these inmates after they were released from prison. The Mind Research Network's Mobile Magnetic Resonance Imaging System (MRI) was used in their study, and also for a numerous amount of mental tests that the inmates had to go through. The MRI is a technique that'll use radio waves, and magnetic fields to create very detailed images of tissues and organs in the body (MRI). Because the angular cingulate cortex of the brain deals with decision making, and impulses, MRI's that show people with damage to this part of the brain are more likely to become aggressive, and even be considered in the "Psychopathic personality genre".
This study is incredibly unique and great for the future of criminal behavior. There is clearly a link between the anterior cingulate cortex levels in the brain that go along with criminal behavior, and offenders. This can be used to help offenders whose brain is damaged in this area by therapy, and treatments that can reduce the risk of these offenders to reoffend. Although this may seem like a very good outcome to better predict criminal behavior, Stillman Professor of Practical Ethics still believes "Much more work needs to be done, but this line of research could help to make our criminal justice system more effective". If this method becomes affective in the future I believe that there will be quite a decrease in criminal behavior. Considering most of the crime done in the world is done by previous offenders. It's said that those who offend once, are very likely to offend again. This would make absolute sense when looking at it through the study of brain scans, and the ACC levels found in their MRI's. If there can be therapeutic rehabilitation that focuses on this part of the brain to increase the activity of the ACC levels than maybe these offenders won't reoffend. I really found this topic to be interesting, and could possibly make a huge change on the criminal behavior being done in the world.
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