Biological explanation: Atavistic form

Question 1

What did Lombroso suggest criminals were?

Answer 1

‘Genetic throwbacks’ - a sub- species who were biological different from no-criminals.

Question 2

What did Lombroso say offenders were lacking?

Answer 2

Evolutionary development - their untamed nature meant they couldn’t conform to society.

Question 3

What was Lombroso’s overall belief?

Answer 3

That offenders were caused by genetics suggesting that criminal behaviour was innate.

Question 4

What is the Atavistic form?

Answer 4

That criminals could be identified by having certain physiological markers linked to certain offences - facial and cranial characteristics.

Question 5

What is 1 cranial, 1 physical and 1 other characteristic of a criminal?

Answer 5

Cranial - Narrow, sloping brows.
Physical - Dark skin.
Other - Had tattoos.

Question 6

What are 3 characteristics linked to a murderer?

Answer 6

Bloodshot eyes, curly hair, long ears.

Question 7

What are 3 characteristics linked to sexual deviants?

Answer 7

Glinting eyes, fleshy lips and projecting ears.

Question 8

Outline the procedure and findings of Lombroso’s research.

Answer 8

Procedure:
- Examined facial and cranial features of Italian convicts.
- 383 were dead and 3839 were living.

Findings:
- There was an atavistic form.
- Concluded 40% of crimes were done by people with atavistic characteristics.

Question 9

One strength of Lombroso’s theory is that it changed criminology.

Answer 9

• Lombroso shifted the emphasis in crime away from moralistic to scientific.
• The theory heralded offender profiling by describing how certain times of people are likely to commit certain crimes.
• Suggests his theory made a large contribution to the science of criminology.

Question 10

One limitation is evidence contradicts the link between atavism and crime.

Answer 10

• Goring: compared 3000 offenders with 3000 non-offenders and found no evidence that offenders have unusual facial and cranial characteristics.
• He suggested that many people who commit crime have a lower-than-average intelligence.
• Challenges the theory, therefore they are unlikely to be a subspecies.

Question 11

A limitation of his theory is that his methods were poorly controlled.

Answer 11

• Lombroso didn’t compare his offender sample with a non-offender sample, therefore not controlling confounding variables.
• For example, new research shows social conditions are associated with offending behaviour, explaining some of his links.
• Suggests that his research doesn’t meet modern scientific standards.