Üsküdar Üniversitesi Speaking at the program titled “Criminals and Victims” organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Lecturer Buse Sabiha Bozaslan from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Autopsy Assistantship Program said; “It is accepted that geographic factors have an impact on individuals' criminal behavior. Most scientists in Italy or Germany have statistically determined that crimes against property, such as theft and robbery, are committed in cold places and cold months, while crimes against persons are more often committed in warm places and warm months.”
“The Persians found the most creative punishment”
Bozaslan stated that prohibited acts are subject to social norms: “There has never been a society in history that did not punish any crime or prohibit any act and impose a criminal sanction. For example, if we talk about the first punishments given to criminals, we can mention the Hammurabi Laws. Here, the principle of an eye for an eye exists. That is, a person receives punishment for the same crime they commit. Such as, a child thief should be killed, or a person who robs a burning house while putting out the fire should be killed. If we look further back in history, for example, those who killed a relative would be given a sack punishment. Criminals would be put in a sack, snakes would be placed inside, and they would be thrown into the water with wild animals. The Persians found the most creative punishment. For criminal sanctions, rebellious or criminal individuals would be placed in a barrel up to their necks, given all kinds of food, sustenance, and drink, and left to rot or ferment alive with their own excrement.” she said.
“Geographic factors have an impact on criminal behavior”
Bozaslan, talking about the characteristics of criminals, said: “I want to talk about the geographic perspective. It is accepted that geographic factors have an impact on individuals' criminal behavior. Most scientists in Italy or Germany have statistically determined that crimes against property, such as theft or robbery, are committed in cold places and cold months, while crimes against persons are more often committed in warm places and warm months. They even historically claimed that physical characteristics and deformities indicated a person's devilish qualities. It has been stated that the ugliest person has a higher probability of being a criminal. A branch of science has even been established concerning this. The name of this branch of science is Phrenology. Dr. Gall, one of the founders of Phrenology (the science of the skull), adopted the assumption that various characteristics and functions related to personality have specific centers in the brain and mapped the entire topography of the brain. According to the science of the skull, the indentations or protrusions on a person's skull determine whether they will be a criminal. For example, it is suggested that those with a certain protrusion at the back of the skull are prone to material pleasures, while those with a prominent upper part of their forehead have strong desires for goods and property.”
“Illness and criminality are vague relative concepts”
Bozaslan, speaking about the causes of criminal behavior, stated: “There are a series of theories that place crime in relation to illness or see it as a special manifestation of illness. Illness and criminality are vague relative concepts. Hypoglycemic conditions under pathological circumstances (e.g., as a reaction to high insulin administration in diabetics) can cause temporary psychological changes that may lead to criminality. Crimes against property, arson, sexual offenses, violent crimes, and other violations and omissions have been linked to blood sugar deficiency syndrome. Regarding the testosterone hormone, an association between this hormone and aggressive behavior has been discovered, at least in animals. These findings brought to mind the idea of whether a particularly high testosterone reflection emerges in perpetrators of violence. Research on violent criminals in prison also found this value to be higher compared to normal individuals.”
“The active subject is the perpetrator, the passive subject is the victim”
Bozaslan stated that every crime has two sides: an active subject and a passive subject: “The active subject is the perpetrator, and the passive subject is the victim. In terms of punishment or justice, it is seen as quite important to ensure a balance between the victim and the perpetrator. The most common victims are young people, women, the elderly, mentally ill individuals, migrants, normal but stagnant individuals, those suffering from depression, the greedy, pleasure-seekers, the lonely and heartbroken, tormentors, and blocked and excluded individuals. Victim risk is the danger of becoming a victim of crime. Certain personality traits, being in certain situations, can lead a person to become a victim. According to research, probabilities vary as a result of differences such as social class, ethnic differences, age, and gender.”