biological explanations of offending : historical approach

Question 1

assumption - lombroso

Answer 1

caused by innate tendencies, possibly determined by genes

Question 2

atavistic form

Answer 2

-criminals are genetic throwbacks
-primitive and unsuited to modern society
-‘sub species’ - homo delinquents

Question 3

atavistic characteristics

Answer 3

-narrow slopping jaw
-prominent jaw
-facial asymmetry
-dark skin

Question 4

types of criminals and their characteristics

Answer 4

murderers - bloodshot eyes, curly hair
fraudsters - thin lips
-criminals are insensitive to pain, have tattoos and are unemployed

Question 5

lombroso’s evidence

Answer 5

-studied heads and faces of convicts in Italy
-over 4000
-40% had atavistic characteristics

Question 6

strength - father of modern criminology

Answer 6

-first to explain criminal behaviour in a scientific way
-pave way for biological explanations
HOWEVER
-theories used to justify eugenic philosophy
-most of the characteristics are from African descent - influenced by 19th-century prejudices

Question 7

weakness - contradictory evidence

Answer 7

-goring (1913)
-comparing 3000 criminals & 3000 non-criminals -no evidence of particular characteristics
-limits usefulness

Question 8

weakness - poorly controlled research

Answer 8

-Lombroso didn’t use a control group
-limited confounding variables that could explain high crime rates (poverty etc)
-didn’t screen for learning difficulties that could change physical features
-doesn’t meet modern scientific standards