Lombroso Flashcards
1
Q
What is Lombroso’s theory?
A
-Born Criminal Theory
-Describes the idea that criminal behaviour is beyond a persons control. There is a biological factor to criminality. Criminals are a different species and a throwback to earlier stages of development. Criminals were described to have atavistic features.
2
Q
What are atavistic features?
A
Primitive features found on born criminals.
Examples - low sloping foreheads, large jaws, receding chins, twisted nose, and large chin + lips
3
Q
How did Lombroso create/support his theory?
A
He conducted post-mortems on the bodies of deceased criminals and found physical differences.
4
Q
Lombrosos strengths
A
- Lombroso was the first person to give criminology scientific credibility as he used scientific methods.
- Lombrosos work went on to be the foundation of criminal profiling. It can be applied to real-life scenarios.
- Lombroso challenged the idea that criminals choose/ are socialised into criminality. This work has been built upon to explore correlations between biology and crime.
5
Q
Lombrosos weaknesses
A
- Modern research found no evidence for his claims.
- Theory is extremely deterministic. It assumes criminality is akin to eye colour, someone is born criminal and has to be one.
- Lombroso based his theory on the facial measurements of hundred of criminals and the skulls of deceased criminals. He didn’t compare these to a control group of non-criminals, which means the theory lacks validity.
6
Q
Key words and definition
A
- Heritable
- Atavistic - primitive features found on born criminals
- Post-mortem - dissections conducted on deceased people.
- Primitive -
- Throwback