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Neuroscientist James Fallon
explains that a number of boys
who grow up in violent environ-
ments have low activities of the
orbital cortex (filter/conscience)
located just behind the eyes in
the brain. Concurrently, some
may have a highly active amyg-
dala (reward centre). These two
aspects of the brain work in a
way to create a balance in
human behaviour. Scans of
Fallon’s brain show that he has
an obvious imbalance – yet he
has never been violent. In fact,
for him, it was inherited as he
had repeat killers in his ancestry.
He maintains that even with
these neurobiological problems,
a young man is likely to be rela-
tively stable – if there is no
social trigger.
In other words, neurobiologi-
cal problems (nature) might not
be enough to cause a person to
become a ‘shotta’. He needs to
be triggered to act cold and bru-
tal. The most common triggers
are torture and hunger – both of
which are common among
inner-city males.
In various studies, we have
found two of every five inner-
city boys to have experienced
torture at the hands of caregivers
or peers or police. Two of every
five inner-city males have also
experienced chronic hunger.
Note that a young man can be
abused severely by his caregiv-
er, or experience chronic hunger,
but has no neurobiological prob-
lems to be triggered. However,
if the abused boy had those
other two problems or even one,
the chance of that young man
becoming a full-time or career
killer increases. The torture and
neglect of boys can, therefore,
be compared to the lethal
Russian roulette game. In our
quest to reduce violence, one
thing must change in our cul-
ture: the torture and neglect of
boys at home, at school, and on
our streets.
PUBLISHED: JANUARY 30, 2017
Two of every five inner-city males have experienced chronic hunger