Criminological and Legal Analysis of the Role of Sports in Preventing Violent Crimes

In recent decades, alongside the rise in violent crimes and the ineffectiveness of certain traditional punitive strategies, researchers and policymakers have increasingly turned their attention to multifaceted preventive approaches, including the use of sports as a social, psychological, and biological tool for crime prevention. The role of hormones and neurotransmitters in either stimulating or inhibiting aggression has been well established. For instance, a decrease in serotonin (5-HT) levels is associated with increased aggressive behaviors, whereas physical exercise, by enhancing serotonergic activity, can contribute to the reduction of such behaviors. This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and draws upon interdisciplinary theoretical literature to examine the criminological and legal analysis of the role of sports in preventing violent crimes. The findings indicate that the integration of neuroscience into criminal policy facilitates a paradigmatic shift from a punitive model to a neuro-reformative framework. Considering the confirmed moderating role of sports on neurobiological factors associated with violence—such as cortisol modulation, enhancement of prefrontal functioning, and improvement of synaptic plasticity—it is essential to design sports-based neuro-criminal policies at three levels: prevention, adjudication, and rehabilitation. This approach requires coordinated efforts among legal institutions (the judiciary), scientific bodies (neuroscience centers), and executive agencies (prisons and correctional facilities) to develop efficient and ethically grounded legal frameworks.