SynthesisFrontiers in genetics2025
Ethical issues in the use of genetic predictions of aggressive behavior in the criminal justice system: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Frontiers in genetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Narrative Review of Ethical Issues in Precision Psychiatry: Mapping Unresolved Tensions Across Modalities.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Review
- Pharmacogenomics of Antineoplastic Therapy in Children: Genetic Determinants of Toxicity and Efficacy.Pharmaceutics · 2026Review
- Challenging the prescientific frameworks of criminal justice: neurobiology and criminolytic interventions in the legalome era.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The use of genetic predictions of aggressive behavior in the criminal justice system remains a subject of ongoing debate. Since behavioral genetic evidence is often used in criminal defense arguments, it is crucial to critically examine the ethical challenges associated with its application. Objective: This article seeks to identify and analyze these ethical concerns to ensure the responsible and equitable integration of genetic testing, when deemed necessary, into the judiciary system. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, supplemented by manual searches of reference lists to identify additional relevant studies. Results: The search yielded 1,023 publications, 12 of which met the inclusion criteria. Seven key ethical concerns were identified: the risks of discrimination, stigmatization, eugenic reasoning, deterministic interpretations, overestimation of dangerousness, privacy violations, and medicalization, along with the risks posed by limited scientific literacy among legal professionals. Conclusion: The ethical challenges associated with genetic predictions of aggressive behavior underscore the need for a critical and multidisciplinary approach to their use in the criminal justice system. Collaboration among bioethicists, legal scholars, scientists, and communication experts is crucial to prevent misuse and reduce potential biases. Such an approach will help ensure that genetic insights are ethically applied, accurately interpreted, and used to promote justice rather than exacerbate systemic inequalities.
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Registered trials
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