225-T5A - Historical and Biological Theories of Criminology

Question 1

What was the main source of theories of crim in Pre-18th Century times?

Answer 1

religion & supersition, on the authority of the Church and kings

Question 2

according to neo-christian teaching, what are the two explanations behing sinful behaviour?

Answer 2

temptation and possession

Question 3

temptation

Answer 3

the devil tempts, and those who are weak (cannot resist) and are morally inferior

Question 4

possession

Answer 4

wrongdoers are possessed by evil spirits, and must be rid of via sever or fatal methods

Question 5

how is crime used as a social tool in the judeo christian teachings? (3)

Answer 5

• silencing rebellions
• diverts failings of elites onto “devil possessions” - no accountability?
• there are indispensable people who can stop the devil

Question 6

how did pre-18th century punish crimes/sins?

Answer 6

• finding “heretics”
• witch hunts

Question 7

what phenomenons happend in the victimization of women during the pre-18th century

Answer 7

• mental illnesses became “witchcraft” or “possession by the devil”
• single mothers were ostracized
• women who were sexually assaulted

Question 8

another name for pre-enlightenment period

Answer 8

pre-18th century

Question 9

explain these Enlightenment philosophies’ relevant to crime/freedom:
1. the free and rational human
2. the social contract
3. reform movement

Answer 9

1. people are free and rational, we should have more rights and freedoms
2. social contract: give up freedoms for safer society
3. reforming governance and criminal justice

Question 10

what was the result of the enlightenment’s rigorous scientific, political, and philosophical discouse on crime?

Answer 10

more scientific approaches to udnerstanding crimes and criminal behaviour

Question 11

T/F: the classical school of criminology is directly related to the social contract

if TRUE, explain why

Answer 11

TRUE: based on fairness

Question 12

father of classical school theory of crime

Answer 12

Marchese Beccaria

Question 13

what were the three rules social contract with the state

Answer 13

1. give up freedom for a safer society
2. state provides security but could not ciolate rights of citizens
3. citizens would obey the rules of face punishment

Question 14

what was the logic behind the reform of classical theorists? what assumptions about people are key in making an effective social contract?

Answer 14

1. people broke the law to advance own interests
2. people are rational beings who calculate consequences of their actions

therefore, a social contract would allow people to protect their own interests without violating others, and penalties will deter people from breaking the law

Question 15

which criminology theory was the first to explain crime through deterrence?

Answer 15

classical school

Question 16

controversies behind deterrence/classical school of thought

Answer 16

• thinking of people as “free and rational human beings”
• penalties may not deter crime for chronic and serious offenders with cognitive deficits

Question 17

T/F The stronger the punishment, the stronger the deterrence effect

Answer 17

FALSE.
- severity of punishment is not the deterrent, but the swiftness and certainty of punishment

Question 18

what makes an effective punishment/deterrect?

Answer 18

1. effective and fair to the act itself
2. sever enough to cost individuals more than what they could gain from crime
3. swift and certain

Question 19

specific reforms of the classical theory of crime (4)

Answer 19

• no harsh punishments (execution) for minor offences
• dealt in public according to law
• laws should be accessible and understandable to all
• lawmakers =/= judges

Question 20

How do we see the reforms of the classical period in the CJS?

Answer 20

• Equality before the law
• Guarantee of one’s rights
• Establishment of fixed penalties
• Due process safeguards
• Separation of judicial and legislative systems

Question 21

limitations of the classical school

Answer 21

• equal punishments for teh same crime did not allow for flexibility/consideration of individual offenders’ situations
• judges had no discretion

Question 22

neoclassical theory is more flexible than classical theory. what three things are taken into account in sentencing a particular individual?

Answer 22

1. offender characteristics
2. mitigating circumstances
3. motive

Question 23

what is the controversy behind mandatory minimum sentences in US and Canada?

Answer 23

• judges cannot tailor sentence to the circumstances of the offender

Question 24

statistical school

Answer 24

• use stats to explore social issues
• more structural

Question 25

what were the methodological and philosophical assumptions of the statistical school of thought?

Answer 25

- positivism - social conditions as an explanation of people's behaviour

Question 26

who was the founder of the positive school?

Answer 26

lombroso, ferri, garofalo

Question 27

according to lombroso, what were the physical differences between criminals and non-criminals?

Answer 27

stigmata, depending of the type of offence the more "animal-like", the more primitive and criminal

Question 28

T/F. Men have more stigmata than women

Answer 28

TRUE

Question 29

categories of criminals accroding to Lombroso

Answer 29

- epileptics - criminally insane - criminals of passion - "criminaloids"

Question 30

limitations of the positivist school

Answer 30

- poorly chosen control groups - crude stats techniques - sloppy measurements - assumption that those in prisons included all criminals and only criminals

Question 31

how did lombardo find the stigmata?

Answer 31

via observations of prisoners

Question 32

contributions of the positive school (to 19th-century to modern CJS)

Answer 32

- punishment should fit the crime (depends on the type of criminal) - born criminals should be incarcerated CJS - probation - indeterminate sentences - mitigating circumstances

Question 33

Charles Goring's contributinos to biological theories of crime in 1903

Answer 33

criminality is not determined by physical characteristics but the (lack of) intelligence)

Question 34

Ernest Hooton's contributinos to biological theories of crime in 1930s

Answer 34

- both physical and mental characteristics are inherent to criminality - "physically, mentally, and morally unfit individuals should be segregated" (on the basis of race) - eugenics

Question 35

Eugenics

Answer 35

An ideology based on a set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding races of people and groups judged to be inferior and promoting only those judged to be superior.

Question 36

Who found somatotypes?

Answer 36

william sheldon in 1950s

Question 37

criminaloids

Answer 37

a person who projects a respectable, upright façade in an attempt to conceal a criminal personality.

Question 38

what were some examples of somatotypes?

Answer 38

endomorphs (curvy) mesomorphs (muscular) ectomorphs (skinny)

Question 39

according to sheldon's somatotypes, which body types were more likely to be involved in delinquent or criminal behaviour

Answer 39

mesomorphs (muscular people)

Question 40

who argued that because prisoners with low IQ or mental ages of 12, people who are disabled and mentally ill should be segregated from the rest of society?

Answer 40

henry goddard

Question 41

criticisms of eugenics

Answer 41

* cultural bias of IQ tests * weak evidence supporting theories

Question 42

recent research methods to find link between individual characteristics and criminality

Answer 42

- chromosomes - unusual EEG - other pathologies