The Use of Behavioral Genetics in the Justice SystemIntroductionA complex and relatively new area of ​​study, behavioral genetics is particularly interesting because it sheds light on the inner workings of a subject of favorite: ourselves. Human behavioral genetics is broadly defined as the examination and characterization of genes as the basis of human behavior. The link between genetics and behavior was first recognized by Sir Francis Galton, a 19th century scientist and cousin of the very famous Charles Darwin, who studied the heritability of mental abilities of close relatives and members of the family (Stigler, 2010). Since then, genetics have been linked to many other behavioral phenotypes, from feeding and mating activities to substance abuse, social attitudes, violence, and mental abilities. Geneticists are able to study this by analyzing parallels between the physical and behavioral characteristics of families and populations (Rothstein, 2005). However, as is the case with many other new areas of science, the study of behavioral genetics and its implications is the subject of increased scrutiny and concern.....