A constructivist view of race in modern criminology. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barnes, J.C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of criminal justice. Number 59(2018)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 86
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Criminal justice, Administration of -- Periodicals; Justice pénale -- Administration -- Périodiques; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2017.07.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2352

Abstract

Abstract: Purpose: To offer a preliminary discussion of what modern genomics research affords criminologists studying racial inequalities. Methods: I review recent evidence from genomics and socio-genomics research that has bearing on how society and researchers should view race. This leads to a discussion of the role of race as a predictor of criminological phenotypes and, thus, to a consideration of the role that genomics research may (or may not) play in helping criminologists unpack the etiology of racial inequalities. Results: I offer a constructivist perspective on race and show that it is compatible with modern genomics research. I also conclude that it is unlikely that genetic factors will explain racial inequalities independent of social and environmental influences. Instead, racial inequalities likely arise from social/environmental influences or from the interaction between social/environmental factors and genetic factors. Conclusions: The conclusion of this essay considers several important cautions and philosophical questions that must be kept in mind any time racial inequalities are studied, regardless of whether the focus is on criminological outcomes, health outcomes, or something else entirely.