Lombroso's Theory - 'Born Criminals' - Innate/Atavism

Question 1

Main Principle of ‘the born criminal’

Answer 1

Some people are born with more primal traits

Criminals could be identified by physical defects (inherited traits)

Question 2

Where did Lombroso carry out studies, and on who?

Answer 2

1976 - prisoners, non-criminals and the mentally ill in asylums studied
(over 4000 criminals studied - 3839 alive and 383 dead)
Lombroso measured particular skull sizes and other parts of the body

Question 3

Lombroso’s Conclusions

Answer 3

40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by physical characteristics
E.g. jug ears = rapist
Cold stares, hawk nose = murderer

Question 4

Lombroso’s meaning of Atavism

Answer 4

Criminals are from an earlier stage of evolution - this isn’t valid or reliable because there is nothing to replicate it against