Quiz 2 Flashcards
The deterrence theory was not explaining …
The distribution of crime
Eugenics is a …
study of and policies related to improvement of the human race via control
Many views put forth on how to determine…
Individuals or groups likely to commit crime
Establishing a method for distinguishing superior individuals and groups from those that were inferior
Such intentions were likely related to the increased use of slavery
Craniometry
The belief that brain size shows superiority or inferiority
Claimed Western European descent tended to be far superior to other ethnic groups
New studies showed little correlation
Persons who have larger brains tended to score higher on intelligence tests
Phrenology is based on…
The science of determining human dispositions based on distinctions in the skull
Modern studies focus on the link between the left temporal lobe and criminality
The phrenologists’ assumptions were inaccurate
Physiognomy is…
The study of facial and other bodily aspects to indicate criminality
These theories would not be acceptable beyond the 1800’s
Darwin made a huge impact on societal views regarding the rank order of ethnic groups
Lombro’s Theory of Atavism and the Born Criminal
Created the first attempt at scientific theory in criminological thought: Informed largely by Darwin’s theory of natural selection
The Criminal Man triggered response from Western societies
His theory was based on “atavistic” persons
Lombroso’s Theory of Crime claimed
“born criminals” should be singled out
Born criminals were the most serious and violent criminals in any society
He believed in identification through stigmata
Lombroso’s List of Stigmata
MANIFESTATION OF MORE THAN FIVE STIGMATA INDICATES THAT AN
INDIVIDUAL IS ATAVISTIC AND THUS A BORN CRIMINAL.
STIGMATA CONSISTED OF FACIAL AND BODILY FEATURES THAT DEVIATED FROM THE NORM.
EXTRAPHYSIOLOGICAL FEATURES:
TATTOOS AND HISTORY OF EPILEPSY.
Lombroso synthesized… and believed that stigmata could be identified….
Synthesized the craniometry, phrenology, and physiognomy.
Stigmata could be identified among anarchists, burglars, murderers, shoplifters, etc.
Lombroso is
the Father of Criminology and the Father of the Positive School
The assumptions of
positivism are synonymous with the term determinism
Determinism=
Human behavior determined by factors beyond free will and free choice
Biological, psychological, and sociological variables
determine our choices
Lombroso’s Policy Implications
Lombroso was called in to determine the…
He was called in to determine the guilt of persons in key criminal testimony
Based judgments on the visual stigmata in the line of suspects
Modern medicine identifies minor physical anomalies
Lombroso’s Policy Implications
His model of stigmata as predictors of
His model of stigmata as predictors of antisocial problems has implications to the present day.
They are more accepted by medical science than criminological literature.
Criminologists began to question his theory of atavism and stigmata.
Criminologists realized that
the idea of a “born” criminal was not
valid.
Researchers were not ready to disbelieve ethnic groups were superior or inferior.
Binet’s IQ test to identify underperformers.
He stated that IQ could be changed.
H. H. Goddard misused the test to
rid U.S. society of low-IQ individuals.
Goddard’s IQ Test
He was considered the authority on the use of IQ testing in the United States
He adapted Binet’s model to examine immigrants coming into the United States
He proposed the theory of feeble-mindedness which became a scientific term in the early 1900s.
Goddard’s IQ test labeled humans from
highest to lowest intelligence
He believed the morons were the biggest threat to the genetic pool
He insisted that women could pick out the feeble-minded better than men could
Policy Implications
Goddard was proud of…
Goddard was proud of the increase in the deportations of potential immigrants.
He reported that deportations for the reason of mental deficiency increased by 350% in 1913 and 570% in 1914.
Over time Goddard realized that the inaccuracy of his theories.
Policy Implications: Sterilization
Of mostly females based on scores from intelligence tests continued in the United States
Justification based on scores of mother or father.
Issue came to the highest court in the 1920s.
Sterilizations continued for many
years.
It is important to acknowledge this blot on the history of the United States
Reexamining Intelligence
Researchers realized the atrocities that had been committed.
Hirschi and Hindelang studied the effect of intelligence on youths.
They found that intelligence has a significant effect on delinquency.
Herrnstein and Charles Murray’s argument agreed with feeble-mindedness
Sheldon’s model of somatotyping
Sheldon’s theoretical perspective merged the concepts of biology and
psychology.
He spoke of the development of certain body types and temperaments.
Somatotyping became the best-known body type theory.
Layers of tissues were determiners of a person’s build and personality.
Individuals who were endomorphic
tended to be jolly or lazy:
Viscerotonic.
Persons who were mesomorphic
were aggressive: Somatotonic
Individuals who were ectomorphic
tended to be introverted:
Cerebrotonic.
The middle group, the mesomorphs,
had the greatest propensity for criminality
Mesomorphic boys were more likely to
have traits predictive of criminality
The fact is mesomorphs are more likely to beaggressive.
Theorists claim offenders can be identified by muscle shape in their pelvic region.
Factors affecting one’s temperament are based on biology and social environment
A variety of policy implications can be derived from all these theories like medical …
derived from all these theories like medical screening at birth.
Studies reviewed implicate numerous MPAs in developmental problems.
Policy implications derived from the theories involve implementation of same-sex classes
to reduce the long-term impact of risk factors for criminality
The importance of diagnosing early head trauma
Mandatory health insurance for pregnant mothers and children.
Youth should be screened for abnormal levels of hormones, neurotransmitters, and toxins.
Emphasis on science in criminology started in
the mid - 19th century (mid 1800’s)
