AC2.1 - Biological theories of criminality

Question 1

Physiological theories

Answer 1

• Lombroso born criminals
• Sheldons somatotypes

Question 2

Lombroso’s born criminals

Answer 2

Criminals were physically different from non criminals - ‘born criminals’ could be determined by facial and cranial characteristics.

Question 3

What distinctive physical features did Lombroso specify?

Answer 3

• Extra fingers, toes, nipples
• Large jaw, Long arms, Curly hair

Question 4

Lombroso concluded that ___% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic characterisitics.

Answer 4

40%

Question 5

STRENGTHS of Lombroso

Answer 5

• The first person to give criminology a scientific credibiliy
• Lombroso’s work has led to criminal profiling, which is vital for forensic scientists

Question 6

WEAKNESSES of Lombroso

Answer 6

• Lacks accuracy, not everyone with abnormal features were born like that
• Deterministic. Suggests that people are born to be cfiminals, no way to escape it
• The features he reports are also seen in the non criminal population
• Doesnt take in other factors
• Did not use a controlled group

Question 7

Sheldon’s somatotypes

Answer 7

Saw criminals as physically different from non-criminals. In his view, certain bodytypes of ‘somatotypes’ are linked to criminal behaviours.

Question 8

What are the three types and its discription?

Answer 8

Endomorph - rounded, soft fat, lacking muscle tone, wide hips
Ectomorph - thin and fragile, lacking both fat and muscle
Mesomorph - muscular and hard bodied, broad shoulders and a narrow waist

Question 9

What body type is more likely to commit crime?

Answer 9

Mesomorph

Question 10

STRENGTHS of Sheldon

Answer 10

• Experimented in a controlled enviroment and a good size sample was used
• Other studies have confirmed that there is a small assosation for body type and crime

Question 11

WEAKNESSES of Sheldon

Answer 11

• Does not explain how ectomorphs and endomorphs can also be criminals, e.g., Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer.
• Does not acknowledge that peoples bodies change throughout their lives.
• Doesn’t explain how mesomorphs commit criminal actives, e.g., the severity of crime.

Question 12

Genetic theories

Answer 12

• Jacob’s XXY
• Twin studies
• Adoption studies

Question 13

Twin studies

Answer 13

Genetic theories have used studies of identical twins as a way to test the theory of criminality between genetics.

Question 14

Christiansen’s study of 3500 twins in Denmark
Non and identical twins

Answer 14

Between identical twins, if a twin has a conviction, there was a 52% chance of the other twin also having a conviction.

Between non identical twins, if a twin has a conviction there was only a 22% chance of the other twin also having a conviction.

Question 15

STREGNTHS of Twin Studies

Answer 15

• It is logical to examine identical twins to see whether offending behavior is identical through genetics.
• Scientific research is much more useful that theoretics, it gives the study a strong imperial backing.

Question 16

WEAKNESSES of Twin Studies

Answer 16

• if genes were the only cause of criminality identical twins would show %100 concordance but studies only show around half or less

Question 17

Adoption Studies

Answer 17

These studies compare adopted children both to their biological birth parents and their adopted parents.

Question 18

STRENGTHS of Adoption Studies

Answer 18

• Overcomes the problem faced by twin studied where biologically identical twins are brought up in the same household, which makes it impossible to separate out of the influence of environment
• Allows to see the relative importance of nature vs nurture

Question 19

WEAKNESSES of Adoption Studies

Answer 19

Some state that adoption still don’t show how studies show genes have little effect on criminality.
- Adopted children are likely to be put in the same environment to those of their birth family to keep similarity.
- Many children are not immediately adopted after birth but remain with the biological family for some time, this early environment may be the case for their criminality.

Question 20

Jacob’s XXY Theory

Answer 20

Men with XYY syndrome are more aggressive and potentially more violent than other males. This leans them to be more likely to commit a crime.

Question 21

STRENGTHS of Jacob’s XYY

Answer 21

Supported by some other theorists, they state that it is possible that aggressive behavior is at least partly determined by genetic factors

Question 22

WEAKNESSSES of Jacob’s XYY

Answer 22

• Focuses too heavy on genetics, ignoring behaviorist approaches
• XY men and XYY men seem to have the same characteristic of aggression through another experiment.
• This genetic abnormality is more common, but not everyone is a criminal due to it.

Question 23

Brain injuries and disease

Answer 23

E.g., Phineas Gage
E.g., diseases that effect the brain

Question 24

Diseases that effect the brain

Answer 24

Brain diseases, including dementia, Huntington’s disease and brain tumors have also been linked to various forms of deviant or anti social behavior.

Question 25

Phineas Gage

Answer 25

There has been some rare cases of brain injuries being identified as the cause of criminality, such as the railway case Phineas Gage whose personality changed after brain injury.

Question 26

Biochemical explanations

Answer 26

- Diet - Hormones

Question 27

Diet

Answer 27

Low blood sugar can trigger aggressive reactions. Drinking alcohol can include low blood sugar and increase aggression.

Question 28

Hormones

Answer 28

Overproduction or underproduction of hormones may cause emotional disturbances that lead to criminal behavior. Post-mensural tension, post natal depression and lactation have all been accepted as partial defenses for woman charged with crimes, on the ground that hormones effected the defendants judgement