Biological Explanation To Offending (Atavistic Form)

Question 1

What does the atavistic form theory propose?

Answer 1

• It was proposed by Lombroso in the 1890s
• It is a historic approach to explain criminal behaviour, based on biological factors
• It suggests that some people are born with a criminal personality (innate), and that criminals can be identified by the way they look
• It suggests that was distinct biological class of people that were prone to criminality, who exhibit atavistic (primitive) features

Question 2

Lombroso (1876)- key study

Answer 2

• He aimed to identify distinguishing physical features among male criminals, which set them apart as offenders
• He examined the features and measurements of nearly 4000 criminals and skulls of 400 dead criminals
• He found that 40% of those examined had atavistic features
• These characteristics indicate that such people were not individuals were not responsible for their actions as it was down to their innate, inherited physiology

Question 3

Atavistic features (SHREK)

Answer 3

• Sloping brow
• High cheekbones
• Really large jaws
• Ears are long
• Kan’t feel pain

Question 4

Kurtzberg (1968)- research support for atavistic features as an explanation for offending

Answer 4

• He found that prisoners behaviour had improved following facial surgery
• Those who had surgery had a recidivism rate of 42%
• Those who did not have surgery had a recidivism rate of 70%
• Those who had facial surgery tended to do better on release from prison than those who did not

Question 5

Evaluation of atavistic form

Answer 5

• Lombroso was the first person to bring science to the study of crime
• It has the potential to be racist by judging whether someone is a criminal through the way they look
• Unscientific approach
• Correlational does not mean causation
• Deterministic approach
• It may cause a lack of responsibility to be taken by the criminals and simply blaming it on an innate tendency
• Goring (1913) tested the atavistic form using 3000 criminals and compared them to 3000 non-criminals. He found there to be no difference between the groups in terms of facial features