Alcohol use disorder is an abnormal prototype of excessive alcohol consumption that results in severe mental and physical problems. Research indicates that alcohol use disorder results from a complicated genetic disease with variants of genes affecting an individual's risk of alcoholism (Edenberg & Foroud, 2013). For example, some studies indicate a link between alcohol dependence and variants of receptor genes such as GABRA2 and CHRM2.

A study conducted by Edenberg (2012) confirmed a universally discussed assumption - genes are a contributing factor in the development of alcoholism.Although there appears to be a variance of genes contributing to alcoholism, Edenberg (2012) identified the genetic encodingALDH2*2allele as one of the genes of individuals protected against alcoholism. The study revealed that individuals carrying two or more copies of this genetic encoding became so ill after consuming alcohol that their risk of becoming dependent on alcohol was near zero (Edenberg, 2012).

On the other hand, individuals without this genetic encoding were at high risk for alcohol dependence once alcohol is consumed. As Bartol and Bartol (2021) summarized, children of alcoholics are at high risk for antisocial and criminal behaviors.

*******Therefore, should inmates diagnosed as alcoholics be tested for this genetic encoding as an approach to gene therapy and control? What impact would this type of genetic evidence have on criminal adjudication and sentencing? SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER!

References

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2021).Criminal behavior. A psychological approach(12thed.).Pearson Education, Inc.

Edenberg, H. J. (2012). Genes contributing to the development of alcoholism: An overview. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews,34(3), 336-338.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3711246/pdf/arcr-34-3-336.pdf

Edenberg, H. J., & Foroud, T. (2013). Genetics and alcoholism.Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology,10(8), 487-494. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2013.86