Criminological Theory Tibbetts Hemmens Sections 3-6 Flashcards
The belief that the size of the skull represented the superiority or inferiority of certain individuals or ethnic racial groups
Craniometry
The study of and policies related to improvement of the human race via control over reproduction.
Eugenics
The science of determining human dispositions based on distinctions in the skull(bumps)which are believed to conform to the shape of the brain.
Phrenology
The study of facial and other bodily aspects to indicate developmental problems such as criminality.
Physiognomy
A person or feature of an individual is a throwback to an earlier stage of evolutionary development. Serious criminals were lower forms of humanity and turns of evolutionary progression.
Atavistic (Lombroso)
Physical manifestations of the atavism of an individual, features that indicate a prior evolutionary stage of development.
Stigmata (Lombroso)
The assumption that most human behavior is determined beyond free will and free choice.
Determinism
Modern medicine has supported identification documentation and importance of______________ which it holds may indicate high risk of developmental problems.
Minor physical anomalies (MPAs)
Created the IQ test.
Alfred Binet
This person used Binet’s IQ test for the purpose of deporting, incapacitating, sterilizing and otherwise ridding society of low IQ individuals.
H. H. Goddard
Those who had significant below average levels of intelligence (low IQ).
- Morons
- Imbeciles
- Idiots
Feeblemindedness
-abnormally large or small noses -abnormally large or small ears - abnormally large or small eyes - abnormally large or small jaw bones -a protruding brow -asymmetries in the face or other parts of the body -abnormal amounts of body hair -tattoos -family history of epilepsy
Examples of Stigmata:
a new theory of physiognomy that attempted to predict criminality by body type (three distinct body types).
Somatotyping-In the 1940s William Sheldon developed
-characterized by a round shape and undeveloped muscles
-Short and squat, likely to become obese
-Were said to be jolly and lazy. To be social and outgoing
Endomorphic
- athletic or muscular build
- Were said to be risk taking and aggressive. Have a competitive nature and seek power etc.
- most likely to be criminal.
- they’re stronger and thus more capable and confident in committing physical violence
- their strength makes them better targets to be recruited into gangs.
- they’re more likely to be encouraged to do sports and thus be socialized to be more aggressive and competitive.
- more likely to be encouraged to do risk-taking or adventurous activities
- Mesomorphic
-a thin, lean build. Only lightly muscled
-Were said to be shy and introverted
Ectomorphic
1. Human nature is naturally good or a “blank slate”
2. Human behavior is “deterministic”
**human behavior is attributed to biological, psychological and sociological factors which cause people to behave a certain way
Positive School
The culmination of all this early work on Craniometry, Phrenology and Physiognomy was
Cesare Lombroso’s theory of the “born criminal”
Controls primary drives and desires. The devil/pleasure.
The Id
Relates desires to behaviors. Its goal is to satisfy the Id as efficiently as possible.
The Ego
The conscience basically. Judges what is right or wrong. The angel.
The Super Ego
Focuses on the genetic makeup of individuals with a specific focus on the chromosomal makeup.
Cytogenetic studies
Males with an extra male chromosome
Occurs in about 1 out of every 1,000 males.
XYY
Chemicals in the brain and body that help transmit electric signals from one neuron to another.
Neurotransmitters
The neurotransmitter for feeling pleasure
Dopamine
The neurotransmitter that is probably the vital in all information processing, including learning and processing emotions.
Serotonin
Research uses brain wave studies
CNS
Blood pressures, resting heart rate, blood pressure are tested
ANS
a person’s genetic makeup has the largest impact on determining their behavior
Nature
How a person is socialized/nurtured has the largest impact on determining their behavior.
Nurture
Twins that come from a single egg and share 100% of their genotype
Monogyzotic (MZ)
Twins that come from two separate eggs and share 50% of their genotype. Same as any siblings with the sane parents.
Dizygotic (DZ)
Most prominent researcher of adoption studies
Sarnoff Mednick
Explanations of crime that focuses on differences between varying groups in society
Social structure theories
Social theories if crime happened when
Early to mid 1800s during the industrial revolution
Father of sociology. First to suggest using the scientific method to study society
August Comte
Parts of society related to stability and order. These things don’t change
Social statics
Aspects if social life that change how societies are structured
Social dynamics
First to study crime statistics. He found that violent crime was higher in poor areas as property crime was higher in wealthy areas
Andre-Michael Guerry
Found that certain types of individuals are more likely to commit crime. Young makes who were poor, uneducated and unemployed were most likely to offend
Adolph’s Quetelet
First to focus on how social class structure could affect offending
Adolph’s Quetelet
Biggest influence on the development of social structures theories
Emile Durkheim
All members perform pretty much the same (hunting, gathering, farming)
Mechanical societies (Durkheim)
Degree to which individuals in a society think alike
Collective science
The modern era with very specialized divisions of labor
Organic societies
Everything that happens serves some purchase
Structural formalism
A state of normalness in society which may occur in times of rapid social change
Anomie
Theories that focus on frustration strain/stress) as the leading factor causing people to commit crime
Strain theories
Everyone in US society is judged by whether they achieve monetary success or not. Robert Merton’s strain theory.
The American dream
In US society there is too much emphasis placed if the goals if the American dream and too little in the means of achieving it (who’s theory is this)
Robert Merton
Individuals work hard and want to achieve financial success and keep striving to meet that goal. (Merton)
Conformity
Individuals accept the means of society but reject the goals. They work hard but have no expectations of becoming wealthy.
Ritualism
Individuals accept goals of society but reject the conventional means. They want to be rich but don’t want to work hard to get it. Most criminals fall here. (Merton strain)
Innovation
Individuals reject goals and means of society. They drop out of society and don’t care about achieving financial success. Drug addicts and homeless. (Merton).
Retreatism
Individuals reject goals and means of society and installs their own ideas about whys the means should be. (Merton)
Rebellion