Chapter 8: Early Theories of Criminology Flashcards
In the Early explanations, crime was equated to what?
Sin
Who were often killed during the times of early theory (4 things)
- Children
- Elderly
- Physically disabled
- Economically independent women
Prior to the 18th century, theories about crime were inspired primarily by 2 things
Religious beliefs and superstition
Witches served as a convenient ________ against whom the masses could vent their anger
Scapegoat
Witches served as a convenient ________ against whom the masses could vent their anger
Scapegoat
Enlightenment Philosophers’ view of society
Society is composed of free and rational human beings.
This was considered the first formal school of Criminology.
The classical school
This school advocated for principles of rights, fairness, due process in place of retribution, arbitrariness, and brutality
The classical school
He criticized the cruelty, inhumanity, and arbitrariness of their current justice system
Beccaria
Where did the roots of classical theory lie?
In the Enlightenment
This theory was based on the assumption that people are rational beings who calculate the consequences of their actions
Classical theory
What was the premise of classical theory?
people are rational thinkers who calculated the consequences of their behaviour. Thus, penalty will deter people from breaking the law.
the phrase “Punishment should fit the crime and be proportional to the harm done to society” best represents which theory?
Classical
What were 2 limitations of the Classical school
- Gross injustices ensued
2. Judges had no discretion
Neoclassical Theory
theorist sought more flexibility in the justice system, such as individualizing sentences to take into account to include offender characteristics, mitigating circumstances, and motive.
This school used statistics to explore social issues and pursued a structural explanation of crime
The statistical school
The statistical school was associated with _______
positivism
This school rejected classical school ideas that people were rational beings.
Statistical school
the phrase “crime is rooted in social ills (poverty, homelessness, mental illness, addiction)” best represents which school
Statistical school
this school used scientific method to compare criminals and noncriminals
The positive school
The phrase “Crime was caused by biological beyond the individual’s control” would best represent which school
the positive school
Why were positive school theories accepted at the time?
because the were scientific and blamed the individual a NOT society.
he applied Darwin’s Evolutionary theory to criminals who were deemed atavists.
Lombroso
the physical signs of their atavism
Stigmata
In the positive school, criminals could be grouped into different categories. (6 things)
- Born criminals
- occasional Criminals
- Epileptics
- The criminals Insane
- Criminals of passion
- “Criminaloids”
3 contributions to the modern CJS that positive school brought?
- Probation
- Indeterminate sentences
- Mitigating circumstances
Which school has long term effects?
Statistical School
He suggested there’s a correlation between low IQs scores and criminality.
Goddard
he advocated for the segregation of “physically, mentally and morally unfit individuals.”, which gave rise to the eugenics movement.
Hooton
Somatotype theory
The body types of endomorphs, mesomorphs, and ectomorphs were associated with different personality traits.
Most of the principles of our current justice system are influenced by 3 of the schools
Classical, Neoclassical, and Positive School of Crime.
