Problems of Forensic Sciences 2017 Vol. 112 (CXII) 123-138
EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATIONS OF THE MECHANISMS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR: THE IMPLICATIONS FOR FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
Jacek NECKAR
Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Streszczenie
Evolutionary psychologists claim that the theory of evolution by natural selection has revolutionary implications for understanding the design of the human mind, including the context-sensitive mechanisms that could lead to homicide. This paper aims to present empirical support for this claim and suggest how evolutionary explanations of homicide can be applied in the forensic context. Existing patterns of data seem to confirm the universality of homicide, the dominance of men as both perpetrators and victims, and a very similar number of homicides of partners or family members in various regions of the world. The paper suggests how evolutionary explanations of homicide could be used in homicide prevention. There are a number of crime-reduction practices that have been adopted in Canada and the United States that could, with further development, be introduced to European countries to reduce homicide risk for infants and women.
Słowa kluczowe
Evolutionary explanations; Homicide; Prevention.