ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the recommendations for incorporating biosocial factors in the development and testing of family-based prevention and intervention programs to advance the next generation of biosocially informed family-based interventions. The family has played a central role in theories of delinquency and crime since criminology emerged in the nineteenth century, and research examining the etiology of antisocial behaviors historically has emphasized family factors. Behavioral and molecular genetics research has provided substantial evidence of the salience of genetics on all behavioral outcomes, and delinquent and criminal behaviors are no exception. Research examining the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors has provided indisputable evidence that both genotype and environment play important roles in influencing behavior; however, the respective roles of environmental factors and genotype in delinquency and crime are difficult to disentangle. Home visiting programs generally target at-risk mothers prior to or immediately following the birth of their baby.
