CrimSavvy: Born into Crime? Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Violence

What if crime isn't just a choice… but a legacy? This video explores the intergenerational transmission of crime and violence, a powerful phenomenon where trauma, criminal behavior, and instability are passed from parent to child, sometimes unconsciously, sometimes unavoidably. Here, theories behind this cycle are briefly introduced, from social learning theory to strain theory, attachment, and even epigenetics, showing how early exposure to violence changes both the brain and behavior. How a child's risk of incarceration increases dramatically if a parent has been imprisoned is discussed, as well as how breaking the cycle is not only possible, but already happening through early intervention, mentorship, and resilience.

Whether you're a student of criminology, a professional in justice or social work, or just curious about the roots of crime, this episode is for you.

Topics Covered:
• What is intergenerational crime?
• How family dynamics shape behavior
• Brain changes due to early trauma
• The role of poverty, stress, and incarceration
• How to break the cycle: hope, reform, and resilience

Sources and Additional Readings:

Agnew, R. (1992). Foundation for a general strain theory of crime and delinquency. Criminology, 30(1), 47–87. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1992.tb01093.x

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice Hall. https://www.asecib.ase.ro/mps/Bandura_SocialLearningTheory.pdf

Bandura, A., & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1, pp. 141-154). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice hall.

Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and Loss, Vol. 1: Attachment. Basic Books.
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and Loss: Vol. 1. Attachment London. The Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis, 1969, 1-401.

Laub, J. H., & Sampson, R. J. (1993). Turning points in the life course: Why change matters to the study of crime. Criminology, 31(3), 301-325. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1993.tb01132.x https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/sampson/files/1993_crim_laub.pdf
McCrory, E. J., De Brito, S. A., & Viding, E. (2011). The impact of childhood maltreatment: A review of neurobiological and genetic factors. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2, 48. Available Online https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00048
Key findings:
• Children exposed to maltreatment (including violence) by early adolescence show increased cortisol reactivity, particularly in threatening or emotionally charged contexts.
• Neuroimaging studies highlighted greater amygdala activation, especially in boys, when shown angry faces—suggesting a heightened threat response.
• These neurobiological adaptations may increase vulnerability to later behavioral issues, including aggression and antisocial behavior.
This review compiles evidence from multiple empirical studies but consistently points to early violence exposure being linked with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and heightened amygdala sensitivity, particularly by age 12.
If you'd prefer to cite an empirical (not review) study directly tied to that amygdala/cortisol association, another solid choice is:

Murray, J., & Farrington, D. P. (2008). Parental imprisonment: Long-lasting effects on boys’ internalizing problems through the life course. Development and Psychopathology, 20(1), 273–290. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579408000138

Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (1993). Crime in the Making: Pathways and Turning Points Through Life. Harvard University Press.

Widom, C. S. (1989). The cycle of violence. Science, 244(4901), 160–166. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.2704995

Tottenham, N., Hare, T. A., Quinn, B. T., et al. (2010). Prolonged institutional rearing is associated with atypically large amygdala volume and difficulties in emotion regulation.
Developmental Science, 13(1), 46–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00852.x https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00852.x