Kira Peikoff

In the article, “Beware the Biomarkers for Criminal Behavior,” Kira Peikoff analyzes the expanding use of brain imaging and biomarkers to predict criminal behavior. She describes the expansion of these technological advancements as a possible violation to an individual’s basic civil rights of innocent until proven guilty. Piekoff expresses that with these growing advancements in this technology a fine line between science and morality should be explored with caution. Our society today may consist of individuals with mental defects, but where is the line drawn in depicting a future crime without infringing on an individual 's basic civil rights.

Peikoff provides three distinguishable premises in her article. She starts with challenging the notion of

Even with a matured technology, an immense amount of follow-up and research will still be required, and then who is to determine if the outcome will ultimately benefit the greater good or if an injustice will be imposed among the individual with no prior criminal history. Peikoff conveys both opposing and supporting outcomes of the public administrating this information, which includes: employer and academia abuses through unwarranted rejection or the ability to predict if a convicted criminal will be a repeat offender. The ultimate concern remains, can an individual be judged on actions not yet committed; therefore, being ruled by the what if?

Piekoff ties the premises together by then expressing that acting on “biological predictions” (2013) would violate basic civil rights through the disregard of the Fourteenth Amendment, equal protection for all. A society who punishes individuals before proven guilty, solely based of scientific research, undermines the foundation of a free democratic country. Piekoff is supporting her argument by presenting current law and weighing that against the common individual who values their