Abstract
Childhood adversities are known risk factors for adult criminal behavior. Such experiences often create identity fracture by inducing structural changes in the brain and altering endocrine function. This abstract focuses on the association of childhood injury, identity disruption, and criminal intention from a biopsychosocial standpoint. Identity fracture increases vulnerability to substance abuse, aggression, and violence; behaviors which significantly increase the risk of criminal activity.
A literature review was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed. Peer-reviewed studies establishing the relationships between child trauma, identity disruption, and subsequent offending were critically reviewed. Non-English papers, animal research, non-peer-reviewed sources, and papers not reporting on identity or criminal outcomes were excluded. Eventually five studies were synthesized in this review.
Studies have consistently shown that trauma alters the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus, key regions involved in decision-making, emotion, and memory. These changes affect executive function, emotional regulation, and create impulsivity. It also disrupts the limbic–hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (LHPA) axis, the body’s core stress response system. This disruption, often marked by sustained cortisol elevation, weakens behavioral inhibition. In addition to the identity fracture, the complete absence of a cohesive identity emerges as a key mediator between trauma and criminality, reducing self-regulation and increasing the likelihood of unlawful actions.
This proposed model offers a focused pathway from trauma to crime via identity disruption. Future research should test this model using longitudinal and neuroimaging studies and develop biomarkers to assess identity-related risk. These findings have meaningful practical implications. Trauma and identity disruption screening tools could be integrated into schools, child protective services, and the justice system to allow early, targeted psychosocial interventions. Disrupted identity may be a valuable variable in risk assessment and rehabilitation planning in forensic contexts, guiding more personalized and effective interventions.
References
Cowell, R. A., Cicchetti, D., Rogosch, F. A., & Toth, S. L. (2015). Childhood Maltreatment and Its Effect on Neurocognitive Functioning: Timing and Chronicity Matter. Development and Psychopathology, 27(2), 521–533. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579415000139
Cross, D., Fani, N., Powers, A., & Bradley, B. (2017). Neurobiological Development in the Context of Childhood Trauma. Clinical Psychology : A Publication of the Division of Clinical Psychology of the American Psychological Association, 24(2), 111. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12198
De Bellis, M. D., & A.B., A. Z. (2014). “The Biological Effects of Childhood Trauma.” Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23(2), 185–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002
Marr, C. (2020). Neurological Abnormalities’ Impact on Crime and Behavior. 7.
Neuroscience: The neural pathways of deviance and criminal behavior. (n.d.). MedLink Neurology. Retrieved May 12, 2025, from https://www.medlink.com/news/neuroscience-the-neural-pathways-of-deviance-and-criminal-behavior