Outline: Title I. Introduction A. Lead: Look for a good grabber or lead to catch readers’ attention at the beginning of your essay, such as a startling statistic, an interesting fact, an anecdote, or a thought-provoking quotation. B. Identify Your Topic. State the topic of your essay (criminality) and the argument surrounding it (nature vs. nurture). C. State Your Thesis. State your main point or thesis clearly and completely. An argumentative thesis has two features: an assertion and backing. The thesis should also indicate the purpose of the essay: to refute the opposing side’s argument. II. Body Paragraph 1: Background Information A. Definition/Explanation: Explain what exactly this issue entails and define any relevant terms your audience needs to know. B. History: Explain major points of interest in the history of this topic. C. Current State: Explain the current state of affairs, including relevant facts and statistics, and provide an analysis of why this issue is currently a problem. Don’t forget to emphasize the humanity of the issue rather than just the numbers. D. Overview of Argument: Fairly explain both sides of the issue (nature and nurture). Objectively explain why each side supports their position. 1. Source: “Crime and Criminology” in Opposing Viewpoints III. Body Paragraph 2: Examples A. Example #1: Macbeth 1. Source: Shakespeare Act.Scene.Lines Last Name ii B. Example #2: Macbeth 1. Source: Shakespeare Act.Scene.Lines C. Example #3: Macbeth 1. Source: Shakespeare Act.Scene.Lines D. Supplemental Source: “Feeling Criminal in Macbeth” in Academic Search Complete IV. Body Paragraph 3: Rebuttal A. Point #1: Choose one point from the opposing side. 1. Rebuttal: Rebut this point of the opposing argument using research to support your statement. B. Point #2: Choose one point from the opposing side 1. Rebuttal: Rebut this point of the opposing argument using research to support your statement. C. Point #3: Choose one point from the opposing side. 1. Rebuttal: Rebut this point of the opposing argument using research to support your statement. D. Counterargument: Offer a better argument on the topic than the one presented by the opposing side. 1. Opposing Source: “Are Criminals Made or Born?” in Gale Academic OneFile 2. Supporting Source: “Crime Gene Theories are Flawed” from Opposing Viewpoints V. Conclusion Last Name iii A. Transition: Signal clearly that you are concluding. B. Restate Your Thesis: Drive home your main point by telling your readers exactly what you have proven to them. C. Stress the Importance of Your Topic: Remind readers why they should care about the issue at hand. D. Call to Action: Tell your readers what action they can take to resolve the problem. E. Look to the Future: Show how your proposed action leads to a better future.
Outline: Criminal Behavior Due to Nature or Nurture
1. Introduction
Lead: Does a genetic condition that promotes criminality have an “evil gene”? There have been several discussions about the reasons why crimes happen. Some individuals believe that a person’s upbringing and events during their life affect their criminal behavior. Others contend that criminal behavior is more complicated and affected by an individual’s genetic makeup. Are people that way by nature? Do people naturally engage in criminal behavior at some time in their lives? Criminals may be socially trained from an early age as well as being born that way.
- Identify Your Topic. The article discusses the controversy over whether criminal attitudes are more affected by nature or nurture.
- State Your Thesis. Although a person’s life is influenced by both nature and nurture, nurture has a more significant overall impact because a person’s genes do not always dictate their fate in every situation.
- Body Paragraph 1: Background Information
- Definition/Explanation:
Most typically, “natural” refers to our DNA. It discusses our inherited genes as well as other genetic characteristics that might affect how our personalities develop as we mature from childhood to adulthood (Wilson, 451).
The factors in our surroundings that shape who we are are referred to as our “nurture.” This includes our upbringing, interpersonal relationships, formative experiences, and local culture.
- History:
The Green Killer, also known as Gary Ridgway, was thought to have been a criminal since he was a young boy. Although the man led a wonderful life, he also had a lot of skeletons in his closet, which is a trait shared by everyone (Beblo et al. 18). Over 50 women were slain by him in Washington State. Such a mindset cannot be developed within a person. Before he was born, his way of life had already been formed. Assuming that social and environmental elements affect criminal behavior, we might confidently assume that adverse consequences or social status influences criminal behavior.
- Current State:
Finding the root causes of crime and coming up with innovative ways to avoid it is one of the biggest issues of our day. Even though issues like racism, poverty, unemployment, and other environmental variables have an impact on the biology and genetic makeup of offenders, we shouldn’t dismiss them. These traits might serve as accurate predictors of criminal behavior.
- Overview of Argument:
Role of nurture
The term “nurture” is a colloquialism that refers to all aspects of our surroundings that influence how we live as we develop, including our first interactions, our family’s support of us, our friends, and the characteristics of the whole society.
The Frankenstein monster wasn’t always up to no good (Wilson, 451). Despite this, it was demonstrated that the beast possessed overtly admirable human qualities. His experiences were necessitated by the most absurdly terrifyingly basic human want.
Role of nature
Nature recognizes potential in the body’s ability to develop vast regions of strength in response to the smallest amount of proven needs. Fortunately, because these prerequisites are satisfied, something works out.
For instance, despite not having been subjected to genetic selection as a youngster, Vincent Freeman from the film Gattaca succeeds in his undertakings. Younger and with different genetics than Vincent, Anton frequently took first place in swimming events. Because of this, Vincent is motivated to work harder than others who have undergone genetic modification (Wilson, 451). In the end, he is more motivated to work harder than everyone else as a result of his experiences, and in an age when everyone has undergone genetic modification, he is still able to realize his ambition of being an astronaut.
- Source: “Crime and Criminology” in Opposing Viewpoints
III. Body Paragraph 2: Examples
- Example #1:
Several times, Lady Macbeth makes her husband doubt his masculinity. Despite his protests, he eventually caves and agrees to the absurdity and the crime.
Source: Shakespeare Act. Scene. Lines
- Body Paragraph 3: Rebuttal
- Point #1: Nature affects criminality
- Rebuttal:
Numerous genes that affect how the brain operates may boost or diminish a person’s capacity to learn a variety of complicated behavioral patterns (Beblo et al. 18). According to prominent bio-psychologist Adrian Rane, there is presently little scientific disagreement that genes have a substantial impact in antisocial behavior.
- Point #2: Biological variables affect criminality
- Rebuttal:
biological variables may affect a child’s early development, which might lead to mental health issues. The results might be terrible if a person has a propensity to value solidarity and is reared in an environment where social skills are not actively encouraged. a relationship between serial killings and ASD, often known as autistic spectrum disease.
- Counterargument:
According to studies by child psychiatrist David Rettew of the University of Vermont, whether or not this is accurate, children shouldn’t be informed that their personalities are impacted by their DNA.
Research by Cancer Research UK found that whereas psychological troubles are typically brought on by cultural conditioning, physical issues are frequently brought on by hereditary features and biological constraints.
- Opposing Source: “Are Criminals Made or Born?” in Gale Academic
- Supporting Source: “Crime Gene Theories are Flawed” from Opposing Viewpoints
- Conclusion
- Transition: We must first explain it to fully understand how a social context could impact a mentality that might result in aberrant behavior.
- Restate Your Thesis: Environments, parental care, peer pressure, and human needs all play key roles in uncovering the underlying reasons and motives of crime since individuals are cognitive creatures that learn from experience. Thus, one’s upbringing and environment may have a role in the evolution of human behavior, including criminal behavior.
- Stress the Importance of Your Topic: The Wong social structure will encourage crime. An inability to understand the current situation and a more bleak future may emerge from choosing to address these issues harshly and attributing the blame to genes or family history.
- Call to Action: To ensure that the curve of the crime rate drops, we must ensure that the upbringing is respectable.
- Look to the Future: learning in class and watching programs that minimize criminology’s vulnerability.
Work Cited
Beblo, Miriam, and Luise Görges. “On the nature of nurture. The malleability of gender differences in work preferences.” Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 151 (2018): 19-41.
Wilson, Jeffrey R. “Macbeth and Criminology.” College Literature 46.2 (2019): 453-485.
