Researchers already know there are many genes in our body that probably influence our behavior and our temperament. But a study is the first to link a variant of a common gene specifically to gangs and violence.
"I liked the violence, kind of the drama of it. I liked fighting. I liked it. I loved it. I fed off of it," said Mr. C, former gang member (his name has been changed to protect his identity).
Though he was in gangs for eight years, he now works to help young people take a different path.
We don't know whether Mr. C was genetically predisposed to join a gang, but Dr. Kevin Beaver's study at Florida State University has found a link in a lot of other gang members.
"In short, what we found was that the gene predicted membership into a gang. It also predicted weapon use in a general population. And then among gang members, it predicted those gang members who were the most violent," said Beaver.
Nearly half of our 23,000 genes are expressed in the brain and potentially affect behavior. Researchers have long known the MAOA gene helps process serotonin and dopamine, two chemicals that influence behavior.
But many males get a variant, dubbed the "warrior gene."
"But there are a number of studies that suggest that MAOA variations, in particular under certain circumstances, can increase risk of anti-social behavior," said Dr. Lynn Jorde, geneticist at the University of Utah.
If true, did Mr. C see it in his own gang?
"I mean the random acts of violence for god knows what purpose, just want to see pain. That's it - that's the only reason I could see that they would do what they did," said Mr. C.
But Jorde says not every male who gets a warrior gene will end up as a violent member of a gang.
"It's not just the gene, it's not just the environment. It's the interaction of the two," said Jorde.
A Brigham Young University study shows where or how a boy is raised plays an equal role.
"Our study showed that individuals who grew up without their mothers tend to express the gene and it magnifies its effects," said Dr. J. Dee Higley, psychologist.
Family, the neighborhood, peers, child abuse, all can diffuse or activate the influence of the gene.
Researchers stress that biology is not destiny. The majority of males with the so-called warrior gene does not join gangs or engage in violence.
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