Forensics- Atavistic form/ Historical approach

Question 1

Strength into Limitation, Combo Whopper

RESEARCH SUPPORT

Answer 1

There is research support for the atavistic explanation of offender behaviour.
Lombroso examined the facial and cranial features of 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones. He concluded that 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic characteristics.
This suggests that features such as a narrow, sloping brow and strong prominent jaw may be linked to offender behaviour.
However, Lombroso did not use a control group in his research; therefore it may be more likely that these physical features are coincidental and can be found amongst any people group of that size.

Question 2

Limitation into Strength, Combo Whopper

CONTRADICTORY EVIDENCE

Answer 2

There is evidence contradicting the atavistic explanation of offender behaviour.
Goring compared 3000 criminals and 3000 non-criminals to establish whether there were physical or mental abnormalities among the criminal “classes”, concluding that there was no evidence that offenders are a distinct group with unusual facial and cranial characteristics.
This suggests that features such as a narrow, sloping brow and strong prominent jaw may not be linked to offender behaviour.
However, Goring did suggest that many people who commit crimes have a lower than average intelligence, which could provide support for the idea that criminals are “genetic throwbacks” that are not able to adjust to the demands of modern society because of their lower intelligence.

Question 3

Strength, hamburger

CONTRIBUTION TO CRIMONOLOGY

Answer 3

Lombroso has been hailed the “father of modern criminology”.
He is credited for shifting the emphasis in crime research away from a moralistic discourse which viewed criminals as being wicked and weak-minded, towards a more scientific and credible realm involving evolutionary influences and genetics.
In this way he has made a major contribution to the science of criminology.

Question 4

Limitation, Double Whopper

Scientific racism

Answer 4

The atavistic form explanation of offending includes distinct racial undertones.
Many of the features that Lombroso identified as criminal and atavistic, such as curly hair and dark skin, are most likely to be found among people of African descent.
This creates an uncomfortable and controversial aspect to this explanation of offending which overshadows criminology as a whole.
It may cause people to focus more on other explanations for offending behaviour, reducing the variety of valid explanations for criminal behaviour.

Question 5

Limitation, hamburger

CAUSATION ISSUES

Answer 5

Even if there are criminals who have some of the atavistic elements in their facial appearance, this does not mean that this is the cause of their offending.
Facial and cranial features can be influenced by other factors such as poverty or poor diet.
This means that delayed evolutionary development may not explain criminal behaviour, instead pointing to criminals occurring due to a range of environmental, rather than biological, factors.