'Gangsta gene' identified in US teens

[BlueBalls]

It's not nearly as overt as a hand sign or a coloured bandana, but DNA may offer one clue as to whether someone belongs to a gang or not.

Males with a particular form of gene called MAOA are twice as likely to join a gang, compared to those with other forms, finds a new study of more than 2000 US teens. What's more, gang members with these mutations are far more likely to use a weapon than other members.

"For the most part, people haven't really thought of the biological or genetic underpinnings to gang membership, says Kevin Beaver, a biosocial criminologist at Florida State University in Tallahassee, who led the study.

Article: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17337-gangsta-gene-identified-in-us-teens.html

Interesting.

Although what you do with this information is puzzling. Do you take the people who have mutated this gene out of their environment if it is a "gang area" just to shield them from it's effects. I doubt it. But it's still an interesting study.

 

[sproing99]

I wonder if it can be used as a defence "I couldn't help it, I have the gangsta gene" ?

 

[BlueBalls]

I wonder if it can be used as a defence "I couldn't help it, I have the gangsta gene" ?

It does that this is doing that somewhat, dont you think? Blaming a physical condition for a person behaviour.

:dunno:

 

[georges]

That is very interesting.

 

[mrtrebus]

Those individuals who have the 'gangsta gene' should be humanly killed.
& their parents sterilised.
Problem solved.

 

[mongo18]

Is that closely tied to the pussy gene? ie needs to roam in a pack, needs to use a weapon in a fight?

 

[Legzman]

what a croc of shit!

 

[Jane Burgess]

Hmmm not sure I believe there is a gangsta gene. It is interesting though.

 

[hedonis]

what a croc of shit!

Yes, I quite agree. Is this like how they used to be able to identify witches or werewolves?

Joining a gang has a lot more to do with environment, peer pressure, and the romanticized depictions of it than anything else.

H

 

[tittenman]

Who does this stupid research? I think the people doing this kind of research should stick to trying to solve and identify other more fundamental gene related problems, rather tahn come up with these woolly unfounded conclusions.

 

[ThatRedWing]

I wonder if it can be used as a defence "I couldn't help it, I have the gangsta gene" ?

Yeah let's give these assbags an excuse.

 

[FatalFantasy206]

Yes, I quite agree. Is this like how they used to be able to identify witches or werewolves?

Joining a gang has a lot more to do with environment, peer pressure, and the romanticized depictions of it than anything else.

H

My thoughts exactly. I don't buy it at all.

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

Those individuals who have the 'gangsta gene' should be humanly killed.
& their parents sterilised.
Problem solved.

That sounds like a disturbing solution. It's almost like something some group of people came up with almost 70 years ago.

I don't care much for the people who think they're "gangsta" but that seems too extreme.

 

[Rattrap]

Has anyone happened to read Michael Crichton's Next? It's an entertaining piece of fiction, with a lot of undertones of the reality of genetic research going on. Just like this little gem, here.

The general idea: companies will always try to identify one gene as a cause of certain behavior, so that they can market a drug to "cure" or "inhibit" that gene. The reality from what I understand (I'm no geneticist) is that there's never just one gene responsible anything as complex as behavior - there are many, working together.

 

[MILF Man]

I wonder if it can be used as a defence "I couldn't help it, I have the gangsta gene" ?

As asinine as it sounds, it would probably work in the society we have today.

Now we have an "excuse" why someone belongs to a gang or not! WTF people!

 

[darkwarrior3007]

I call bullshit on this.

 

[Baill Inneraora]

My thoughts exactly. I don't buy it at all.

Its funny how people who don’t want to believe a scientific study just say “I don’t believe, I believe (insert opinion here)” without a shred of evidence.

Too many people do not understand genics or genetic studies. The study DOES NOT say that there is a gene that causes violent, gang activity. What it DOES say is there is a gene that is more likely to be found in violent gang members.

So if you boil it down, what it does suggest is that a gene pool confined to small, very poor, very crime ridden, urban area that has sperm donors that do no stay involved in their children’s lives and are prone to be gang members with violent behavior, produce children that are more likely to be gang members with violent behavior. Why is that so hard to believe?

 

[Galactic]

I wonder if it can be used as a defence "I couldn't help it, I have the gangsta gene" ?

Give it time......it WILL happen.

 

[Skyraider22]

Now that is new

 

[calpoon]

Wouldn't the same gene be found in members of the military, sports teams and businessmen? I thought that being aggressive in a group dynamic was supposed to be a positive thing?

Actually I'm serious. I think that many gang members are individuals that would be suited to these kind of high stress and quick thinking positions, but they lack the opportunities or just the environment that steers them in that direction and they find gangs as the outlet that utilizes these types of skills. And gangs actually are structured in much the same way as an organization as these others. They look towards them as models.